Natural Order
by Azreal425
Summary: Vander is a glitch in a system she swears to uphold. She finds a system that needs balanced out and travels to Forks to do her ultimate job. Will Forks be forever changed in her wake or will she balance her own scales? R/R
1. A Glitch

_I own none of the characters within the exception of Vander and any other witches that come into play, she/they is something I made up based off of a cool idea I got after reading the line about Angela being a witch in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers. Please review and pm me with your comments and if anyone would like to be a beta reader I would more then love that._

_This chapter is more about meeting Vander then getting into the real meat of the story involving the Twilight characters. I promise it will get better._

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There is a natural order of things, every being having it's own little niche. In the supernatural world this is no exception, very simply a triangle. Werewolves have the upper hand against vampires, vampires have the advantage over witches, and witches naturally trump werewolves. This isn't to say that a battle will always play out as thus, just merely a guideline, for the natural order of things.

I am a glitch in that order, a tragedy that should have never happened. It is only through my sheer will and hate that I survived. I survived to become something more, something more deadly then the world has known before.

It must be understood that without the vampire things would be different. Something about them awakens the inborn traits of those who descended from sprit warriors; those who use energy of the earth to work magic or magic their own body to transform it. So where vampires walk there will be wolves and witches, it is the natural order.

I suppose that is how I came to be. Vampires awoke in me the ability to harness the elements for my magic. There was always something very different about me, the elements seemed to bend to my will as a child. However, it wasn't until after I went through puberty that I became able to wield lightning or create barriers with wind. It was then I learned my duty to keep that natural order, a task I happily accepted. I was extremely talented, a prodigy one might say. I killed more then my fair share of hot headed wolves and not to be cocky or anything but I brought down a couple of vamps, a feat almost unheard of.

I lived my life in two capacities, one as peace keeper killing the wolves who would upset the order, and the other I was simply a women. I went to high school and then on to college. I hid my double life from my friends until I met a man who I wanted to spend my life with. That was a note worthy year for me, I met two men that year that would change me in my entirety, making my what I am.

The year I was nineteen I met Gilbert in my student union. We were buying the same book, but there was only one copy left. In an attempt to get my number he suggested we share the book going in fifty-fifty for it. I was young and he was cute with russet skin, honey colored eyes and a full mouth, so I gave it to him. After getting to know one another I loved him with every fiber of my being. Every inch of my five ten runners body, every centimeter of my shoulder length chestnut wavy curls, with all of the depth my ever changing eyes had to offer, it was for him. I even told him about my world, something he did not run from but embraced. I know now how foolish it was, it was probably the keystone of my undoing.

That same year I met another man who became important in my other life. His name was Alex, he was a wolf that had decided to not hunt vampires, but instead punish humans he found to be not fit to live. Not only was he not keeping with how things worked, he was killing people who he should have been protecting. This is why level headed witches are better at protecting the people then those flea bitten hot heads. We did battle many times, I never killed him but he never left a healthy boy.

For two years I lived, loving Gilbert and being loved back. All the while battling Alex as soon as he healed and would resume his little project as he called it. On my twenty first birthday Gilbert asked me to marry him, we were already living together and I was about to graduate that year with my bachelors. I guess Alex decided I didn't deserve to be that happy. Knowing he would not, could not beat me he very wittily brought death to my house.

I will never forget that night. I was tracking Alex when he lead me to close to my own smell for my comfort. My home. I feared for my new fiancé, I was right to do so. When I came home his beautiful full lips greeted me, by being nailed to the front door. What was inside was much worse, blood covered everything I owned, I could smell him all around me, my Gilbert. It was so overwhelming that I did not notice the vampire that laid in wait for me in our bedroom.

I was trying for some reason to collect his parts, in some vain hope it would bring him back. I know it would have never worked but I was grief stricken. He was on me in an instant ripping out my throat draining me of my blood. I was barely conscious as he taunted the pretty little witch. He even knew of me, he could wait to brag how he took down the Famous Vander Astran.

He left me there to die.

Problem was, I didn't die. Oh I thought about it, the pain was unbearable. All of those fibers that I had loved Gilbert with, all of them wanted to die. But that collection of his body parts just wouldn't let me do it. I had to push on, if only to render him limb from limb as he had done my love, and of course to do much worse to the demon that had set him on me.

That is how I became what I am now. The only witch that is also a vampire. I pushed through the pain and let the vile venom spread through and heal my body. My magic became amplified, and I was strong before but the strength I gained as a vampire made me look feeble to what I was. It was with ease that I hunted and killed the vampire, and pleasure that I did the same to Alex.

There is a natural order of things, every being having it's own little niche. In the supernatural world this is no exception, very simply a triangle. Werewolves have the upper hand against vampires, vampires have the advantage over witches, and witches naturally trump werewolves. But what of one who is doesn't fit into that order? What about a glitch in the system? A witch that is protected from vampires by being one herself, as well as fitting into her birth right.

I have been this was for two years now, frozen in my twenty one year old body. I travel where I am needed and try to restore the natural order. It has been quite for a while, but now I hear whispers of a scale needing balanced in the Olympic Peninsula.


	2. First Impressions

_This is where I start to bring in some of the elements of the Twilight series. I hope that the first chapter wasn't to unbearable. I am still looking for a beta reader. While Listening to my iPod Mad World came on by Gary Jules, it reminded me very much of Vander._

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You see for me things are different, I am not a normal vampire. Human blood does not tempt me, it is the witch in me. I do not have red eyes, though they do grow black when I thirst. Instead my eyes are grey, again I think this is because of the magic that ruin in my veins. I still thirst, but I drink animal blood. I must have blood to survive, but as I stated human blood does nothing to tempt me, and I suspect it would do nothing for me. So being in a city does not pose a problem for me.

When I first heard of Forks I was in Kansas City, where Gilbert had grown up. I spent my days and nights haunting the places we had visited when he took me home to meet his parents.I had not been called on to restore nature's order for almost seven months. Believe me I was content to remain there wallowing in my nostalgia.

I was both relieved and saddened to leave there. But I had heard so many stories of a budding coven and pack living so close together. I knew I had to go, a new pack or new coven was bad enough but both at once so close. That could only mean I was needed. I will admit that when first came to me I ignored it. Then the stories kept coming to me and Seattle, so near to the little town fell under siege. I knew that I had to go, and blamed myself. If I had done my job I could have saved lives, instead I let my grief consume me. In my selfishness I brought about more death, just like I brought to Gilbert.

I set myself up with a garage apartment to rent in a near town, Port Angeles. It was extremely reasonable, less for what I was paying in Kansas City and it came with utilities and furnishings. I left behind the ghost of my love, tucking him away in the studio apartment I rented and promised I would return. Then I boarded a plane for Seattle. It was faster then running and it was bar far safer, though it isn't as satisfying. I had already wasted enough time in my own childish squalor.

When I arrived I wasted no time in going to my new place. It was a hole, but what did I expect for five hundred dollars a month? That very night I went to Forks and made myself familiar with the wilderness and town. I could smell both the vampires and wolves but they stayed mostly on and around a reservation called La Push. I don't know wither it was logic or preference that made me target the vampires first.

As a fellow vampire I could relate to them and possibly settle whatever was going on with little bloodshed, It wouldn't be the first time. Though if it does come to blows I prefer saving the best for last and I enjoy hunting a wolf over a vamp any day. Old habits die hard, what can I say?

I spent five nights combing the woods, careful not to hunt though it strained me. I wanted to leave as little behind as I could. On the fifth night I went out not expecting much. My mistake, not feeding and no action make my sloppy.

I got distracted by a deer, or all things and then they surrounded me. There were seven of them, three women and four men. But they made no move to take me. It was surprising, but it was the least surprising thing about them. Like me, their eyes were not red, they were a topaz color. A man approached me, but he was non-threatening, and I was feeling very serene. A feeling I had not felt in years, it was unnatural. I could tell I was being manipulated but I couldn't fight it.

"My name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my wife, Esme, and our children Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper." Each of them giving a small indicator when their name was called. "I am Vander Astran." I responded scanning each of them. It was interesting that he introduced them as a family, something I had never encountered before. There were whispers and looks between them and then the golden haired Edward nodded. "She is telling the truth, but Jasper your laying it on a bit thick. She is getting to relaxed." He nodded and I instantly felt a bit more clear, like my old self.

"We mean you no harm, I hope you realize this." Esme said her face soft and kind. I trusted her, they had given me no reason to fight them, or think they would fight me. "We are just curious to your intent here." Edward said his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized me. It was clear, that these vampires had heightened abilities, it was uncommon but less so then their mastery over them. "Well, I am first and foremost a witch…" Emmett snorted about how witches were things of myths. "And so are vampires, witches are uncommon like werewolves but they do exist." Carlisle told him in a stern way, sort of how a father reproaches his son. "As such, I am here to restore the order. I was informed about your coven and a pack. There have been deaths in Seattle, I came to try and reason with you or kill you if need be." I continued. Edward nodding as if verifying everything I said. "Well I can assure you that we had nothing to do with those death and neither did the pack." Esme said, for some reason I believed her, and it wasn't Jasper, I could tell the difference. Perhaps it was her mothering way, or the strangeness of them on a whole. "Well she believes us, and she isn't going to hurt any of us unless we hurt her." Edward said. Emmett swore and Jasper and Edward laughed. "Never bet against Alice." They said in unison. Alice smiled and came to my side taking my arm.. "Your hair is amazing, and so are your eyes are those contacts?" She asked speaking quickly.

Just like that Alice drug me to their house. On the way there it became clear that they were more a family then a coven. Alice was sort of fun chatting about my clothes and hair and how she had never seen a vampire like myself. I laughed "I have never seen vampires like you, your eyes…they are like mine sort of. Are you mixes as well?" I was hopeful that maybe in this world I had found vampires like myself. "No, it is our lifestyle choice that colors our eyes like this." Rosalie said, she had been hovering in making comments here and there about my clothes. "We are vegetarian vampires, we feed exclusively on animals." Carlisle explained. "Though unlike yourself we are tempted by human blood." Edward laughed and shook his head. "There is another colony in Alaska like us." "She feels embarrassed about not knowing there were vampires like us." Jasper told the group. "Well she has figured out that Jasper feels and can control emotion and that I read minds." Edward informed the others as we sat down in their living room. "What about me figure out what I can do yet?" Alice asked. I shook my head and she only laughed.

"Alice can see the future that is how we knew you were coming." Emmett explained his face dark. "Also how I knew you would be cool with us, isn't that right Em?" she laughed as Jasper snickered. "Enough please, I realize this is pretty interesting but I would like to learn more about you since you all know about me." Carlisle cleared his throat. "Actually Esme and myself are the only ones who know about you Vander, they were ignorant until Alice saw you coming. I would have informed them about your special situation but I figured you would be more suited." "Yes, I am very curious about you, I know a lot less then my husband." Esme said. The others were interested I could tell.

"Well I was born a witch, there is a triad. Sort of like rock paper scissors. Vampires are the rock, scissors are the witches and wolves are the paper." I explained. Carlisle nodded and I gave it a while to sink in. "When I was twenty one I was attacked by a vampire. I survived and became something more." I looked down my eyes growing sad. I knew Edward and Jasper could sense my sorrow at the memories. "I call myself a glitch in the system, and I made it my mission to balance the scales and keep the peace between our mythical rock paper scissors game." Emmett laughed at my little joke bringing me out of my personal little hell. "Well that is pretty much it. I came here to check things out, it is my duty." the more I tried not to blame myself for the deaths the more I did knowing Edward would report it later. "I as Carlisle said am not tempted by human blood, I too fed on animals. I am still a witch and my job is to protect the people, killing them would be counterproductive." I laughed trying to lighten my mood. As if sensing my motives I felt a wave of calmness pass through me. I was somewhat grateful for it.

"I hope you all understand, I am going to be staying in town I feel like things are balanced out to my satisfaction." Carlisle and Esme nodded. " It is your job, I wouldn't dream of asking you to not do it." Esme said smiling at me placing her hand on my knee. "That will be great, we can get to know one another better then." Alice smiled at me giving me a small hug. I had the feeling that I would regret coming to Forks. "It has been fun but I think I am going to go hunt then heat back to my place. Do you mind if I stop by tomorrow night, I want to get some more information on the pack before I confront them." Esme shook her head. "Not at all your welcome here any time. We want you to be at ease here." Carlisle cleared his throat. "We have a treaty with the pack though, I would rather you not confront them rather then mediate with them, I could help you set it up." I nodded and stood up. "I will show her out." Alice said jumping up and taking my arm. She sowed me the door telling me good spots around to get some food. I took mental note, able to local them all on my map in my head.

Edward waited until they were sure that Vander had left. All the while the bloody night running through his head. When she had explained that she was changed it had come up. Her lover killed, he was the thing that had kept her going those agonizing days. He could not imagine if Bella was taken in that manner, he knew he could not be as strong as she had been. "Well, she is… she is something alright. She feels guilty for so many deaths, the ones in Seattle. Like if she had came sooner she could have stopped it. She is very curious about who was doing the killings, she is feeling a bit like she is on information overload. So she was to leave and process what we gave her." Esme nodded as well as Carlisle. "Alright Edward, you can go." Carlisle said knowing Edward was anxious to go to Bella.

Edward stood and left leaving the others. "Well what do you think, is this going to turn into a fight?" Emmett asked looking at Carlisle flexing his muscles. Jasper looked up raising his brow then looked to Alice who shrugged. "Well, I think that with us she has no real problem. With the pack it might be different. I have heard of this girl, she has a very big problem with wolves. It goes deeper then her natural instincts. I don't think she seems unreasonable, but we will just have to see." Carlisle informed them. "Well I think she is going to do the right thing." Esme said standing. "I agree, I still don't see her getting violent." Alice said and Rosalie nodded. "She doesn't seem like the violent type." Rosalie put in. Jasper snorted and Emmet chuckled. "Yeah until she gets cornered. She could bring it Rose." Emmett said. Jasper stood and slapped Emmett's arm. "Lets go and wrestle, in case we need it." Jasper grinned. He and Emmett left the room to go to the large clearing, Alice in tow. "My money is on Emmett." She laughed. "I think they are over reacting." Rosalie said going to sit on the piano bench. "I agree, but it is better to be safe. I need to call Billy and inform him on this, it effect them just as much if not more then us." He stood as well as Esme and left the room leaving Rosalie playing around on the piano.


	3. Invitation

_I hope that you liked the last chapter. As of right now I have no readers, but I can't stop writing this. I can only hope it is as good as I think it is. As always looking for a beta. Any comments or suggestions are welcome._

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I needed to hunt, I ended up making my way to the clearing they had cornered me in. The deer were still there, lucky for me deer have a low sense of self preservation. I killed one with ease draining it in a matter of seconds, but it was long enough for the others to bound away. It wasn't that big of a problem, like getting up to refill your water glass form the kitchen really. After that there was nothing really left to do, so I decided to head home.

Something about the Cullen's nice house made my shabby place seem more like a shit hole. I guess that is the difference money makes in a person's life. I am not going to pretend that seeing them live like a family didn't pain me. I could have been happy like that, but then it had to be taken from me. I should have known better, and kept him separate from that life. My crime was selfishness, I wanted to share everything about myself to him, and because of that his life was taken from him.

Vampires don't sleep, I wish that is something I could say was different about me as well. No such luck. Sleep was one of the big things I miss. I used to love to sleep, I would curl up against Gilbert using his broad muscular chest as a pillow. He would play with my hair twirling curls around his fingers, I felt so safe in his arms. Now I spend my down time flipping through infomercials, my favorite is the Magic Bullet blending system. I want one of those things, because I have so many muffins to make in my future. I bet if things had turned out different I would own one of those, a gift from Gilbert.

I found myself getting sad, thinking about what could have been. They only thing to do in that situation is to shadow box the sadness away. I stood up and put my head phones in. I put the iPod on shuffle and closed my eyes starting to box. I went on for that for several minutes dancing around tossing out stiff jabs and strong hooks. If I had a heart beat it would have been racing. I felt a funny tickle on my ass. There was a thin black Motorola razr there. "Hello?" I answered removing an ear phone. "Oh good you found it, I hope you didn't mind." Alice said. I thought back to the many moments she could have slipped it in, I had been sloppy. "Mind being spied on, who would mind that?" I replied dryly. "Oh silly if I wanted to spy on you I have much easier means, this is just because I want us to be friends." I paused thinking about her ability. "You have a point, about the easier means, I mean." she laughed and I could hear yelling and laughed from I assumed Emmett and Jasper, Edward seemed much to reserved. "The guys are wrestling, practicing in case we have to fight you." I could hear them swearing in the background. "Guys it isn't going to come to that." Alice said. "You don't know that. I could decide that you need to be removed for the balance to be maintained." I replied trying to sound hard. For some reason I found myself liking Alice, she reminded me of my best friend from high school. "I actually do know that. You even like me a little." She laughed. "I just wanted to double check that you were coming over tomorrow, I want to take you shopping, you're far to cute to be dressing like a bag lady." "What I don't dress like a bag lady…" I looked at the clothes I was wearing and grimaced. I dressed like a bag lady. "Alright, you have a point, so I guess I will see you tomorrow." Alice giggled "I have a lot of points. You are just going to have to stick around to hear them." "Ok Alice, I am going to let you go. I will see you tomorrow."

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"Vander… Vander… Vander." I could feel my body being pushed. I wasn't asleep simply meditating while my eyes were closed, it was the closest I could get to sleep these past two years. "I swear to god Alice you just lost major cool points." I said my eyes snapping open to look up at the black haired girl, Rosalie standing behind her. "So you can sleep?" Rosalie asked. I sat up and shook my head. "No I meditate, like removing me from myself, and if I close my eyes it simulates sleep. Sort of." I looked over at the clock. "It is eleven in the morning." I said looking at Alice my brow raised almost angrily.

I didn't sparkle in the sun like other vampires but the light hurt my eyes fiercely. "I don't do eleven a.m." I said. "Well it is always dreary here, come on please we have major work to do here, well not here this place is beyond help." Rosalie said, Alice snickered. I hated to admit it but they were right. "Here put these on." Alice said tossing a brown paper sack on my lap. I looked inside and there was a simple black dress and some aviator sun glasses. 'It is one of mine it should fit, you are about my height I am five nine." "Five ten." I had to admit Rosalie's five nine was a lot closer to me then Alice, she was about a foot shorter then I am. I stood and went to the bathroom and changed. "Wow, you look amazing." Alice said coming to my side when I came out of the bathroom. She fluffed my hair some and smiled. "I love shopping, this is going to be great." Rosalie smiled and Alice nodded in agreement. "Yeah like super duper fun, totally like barbies, ya know?" I said in my best Valley girl accent. "Do I have to drag out of here. I could call Emmett or Jasper if need be." I grinned evilly and opened my hand electricity danced there in my palm. "You can try." "I already know your going so, stop the fireworks." Alice laughed.

Several hours later and a fashion show in Alice and Jasper's room, my mood was considerably better. I felt better then I had in ages. I couldn't remember when I had last had that much fun, I realized it was when Gilbert was alive. I almost felt guilty. Alice and Rosalie had spent a lot of money that day, and I had none to spend, so a good portion of that was on me.

I flung myself on Alice's bed wearing a new pair of jeans and sleeveless t-shirt hoodie. "Did you had a good time today?" Alice asked putting her head next to mine. "Yeah, it was a lot more fun then I had imagined it would be." I paused and took a deep breath. "To be honest I haven't had that much fun in a long time." I could hear the emotion welling up in my voice. Rosalie took my hand and sighed. "You know like you, I had my life stolen. But being with my family has helped that so much." I pulled my hand anyway and propped myself up on my elbows. "Well I don't have a family, Rosalie. All I have is myself. Being a Cullen is cool, I get it. But it isn't something I have." "But you could, is the point she is trying to make." Esme said from the doorway. "You live your life in a way that could really harmonize with ours." she explained. "Carlisle and I have no problem taking in young ones. And you were twenty one when you changed, but you look a lot younger." "I get that a lot." I said. Or t least I did when I was alive. "Vander, you don't have to be so sad anymore, we could be your family too." Alice said sitting up and trying to get level with me. "Jasper told us, about how sad you are… I used to be sad too. Rose, Jasper and I know what your sadness is like. All of us have went through pain Vander, we just want to help you ease yours."

"So that is what today was about Alice? Showing me the benefits of being a Cullen? You don't get it. There is a reason I don't have this life. I have to make amends for what I am, for how I got to be this way." I stood up and left the room past Esme. I went in search of Carlisle, he was the reason I really needed to be here tonight. To find out about the pack from the reservation. I found him in his study reviewing some X-rays. "Ah Vander, I see the girls talked to you., I couldn't but help overhearing." He motioned for me to sit. I raised a brow and took the chair examining the X-ray in Carlisle's hands.

"I am a doctor, I have a high tolerance for human blood, I am much like you are." I nodded and felt more at ease. "So about those wolves…" I said. Just because I felt more easy did not mean I was in the mood for more join our family talk. "We will get to that." Obviously he was not going to let me get away that easily. "You know Vander you and I are a lot alike. I was horrified at what I was, my father had raised me to hunt the supernatural. That is how I became a vampire, I was tracking a coven and they turned me." He paused, there were a lot of parallels to our stories. I had been raised thinking that I had to hunt the wolves, there wasn't even a reason for it. It was just because it was what I had been taught. The only exception was wolves that didn't follow the rules they had to go before the others. "For a long time I punished myself to try and make up for what I was, like I had to make amends Vander. I had to come to terms with the fact that I had been dealt a hand. I just have to live my life as best as I can. I use the gifts that I have to help people. I know you feel it is your destiny to protect people, but do you really think the best way is to kill people who don't conform to your ideas of the natural order?"

I was silent then sighed. "No, I guess your right. But do you really think the answer is for me to stay here and join your merry band of vampires?" I asked turning the tables on him. "I do, I think your lonely and you need a family to help you with the burden on your heart. Not only that, but you could help us, because of our presence and the pack's as well this place is a hot bed. Your talents would be of great use here." So much for turning the tables. I didn't really see a way to talk my way out of this one. "No one is going to force you. You are free to come and go as it pleases you." I remained silent his words going through my brain. "I will give you time to think about it, no need to answer now." He set down his papers and folded his hands.

"There are ten of them, Sam Uley is their Alpha, and Jacob Black is his second. Now Jacob's father Billy is not a wolf but he is very involved with the pack, though his health is waning. Our treaty says that they do not come on to our territory and we do not enter theirs though there have been exceptions and there are common grounds. They are a bit hot headed but they have not killed humans, and they know that we do not kill humans either. If either were to break this treaty then it would result in a war. Do you understand." I nodded taking in the information. "So if I go there and confront them it could end in a war." I stated. "It most likely would. There is an issue currently we are trying to work out, but it evolves Edward, and as he was kind enough to not divulge your past when he saw it in your head, I will not talk about his family matters. Though if you were family it would be different." I grinned. "That was subtle Carlisle." "Oh did you like that?" He laughed and unclasped his hands. "Well I won't put your family in danger. Despite myself I like you, but I really do need to speak with them, it is all well and good that you vouch for them…" He sighed. "But you must see for yourself. Well I will contact Sam and see what he is willing to do." I nodded and rose. "Well thank you for that Carlisle. I have a lot to think about, I should go."

"No, you should stay, but I won't stop you from leaving. Please think about our offer. There is more to being a part of our family then a nice house and nice things. We can help you come to terms to what has happened to you. Please Vander, I won't pretend that your not a valuable girl, but I want you to know it is more then that." "Alright I will think about it." I said turning and leaving. Truthfully at that point I was more then thinking about it, I was giving it real possibility, because maybe the best way to use my powers was to help things here, I mean I was brought here for a reason.

"Shh, she is coming." Alice said whispering to what smelled like Edward and an unfamiliar scent. "Because I totally don't have super human hearing Alice." the new smell was human, it occurred to me as I walked into the living room. "Hi I am Vander." I said saluting to the new girl. "I am Bella Swan, Edward's girl.. Fiancée." this must have been the issue Carlisle had spoke of. "She is." Edward confirmed. "Edward may I have a word, please?" He nodded and raised his brow. 'Just think what you have to say.' He thought, a new facet of his power. 'Well I wanted to say thank you, what happened to him is…' 'Private, I get it. When you are ready you can be the one to tell them, and I am sorry you had to unwillingly share it with me.' he had cut me off. "Well now that, that is settled I think I am going to head back to Port Angels. Do you think I could have a ride? I wouldn't want to loose all my new clothes." I grinned. Alice laughed and jumped up.. "Sure thing, I will get your bags." She disappeared to get them.

"Don't be afraid they all drive crazy." Bella warned. "I noticed today, Alice and Rose took me shopping." I nodded. "Ah here not even a week and they have already taken you in. Your very lucky, I will soon be a Cullen as well. Well I kind of already am, it just isn't official." I made a face. "But Bella I am not a Cullen." I defended. "But Alice said.. Oh." Emmett and Jasper entered the room a little mussed from wrestling once again. "Hey don't bet against Alice, it tends to cost you." Jasper laughed and clapped him on the back. "And I will be enjoying that Jeep of yours." Emmett growled. "I am not betting against Alice, just warning you it is more wishful thinking more then anything else." I said looking around the room. "Sure it is. You just have to get used to the way things are here. It takes tiem trust me, but ti is worth it." Bella smiled squeezing Edward's hand.

"I am telling you wishful thinking, nothing more. I know my own thoughts, and I am not becoming a Cullen. Wishful thinking." I said slowly. Edward raised his brow knowing what I said was not true. "No it isn't." Alice said carrying bags Rosalie in tow with the rest.


	4. The House Always Wins

Well nothing much to report as of now except I think someone read past chapter one and into chapter two. I hope they make it to three.

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Alice drove me home without much incident, perhaps because the ride was so short. When w arrived she helped me carry the bulky bags up and told me the others numbers were all in my phone and that I could call them at any time. I nodded and thanked her before giving her the boot. She seemed so certain that I would join the Cullen family. Perhaps it was part of the strategy but I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn't really considering it. The day with the girls had been more fun then I had known as a vampire and when I was with them I felt easy, like I could just be. It all seemed like it could really balance me out. Hadn't I suffered much over these two years?

Carlisle words ran through my head and I removed my jeans sitting on the couch. I had some real thinking to do. Had they been different people the offer would have been fishy. The phone in the pouch in my hoodie reminded me of how sloppy I had been lately. Perhaps, I was being sloppy about them, about who they were. The thing was I could not bring myself to believe that Esme's kind face was that of a liar, nor the stern but guiding ways of Carlisle had alerter motives. Edward was guarded, but after meeting Bella I could see why. Emmett and Jasper, the obvious powerhouses had made no power plays to control me and they had even been easy with me in the living room. Not to mention the obvious relationship I was building with the spunky Alice and the beautiful Rosalie.

I was conflicted, I could feel myself splintering off into two facets. One the cautious level headedness that had always guided me, and the other was of my old self I had been with him. Again the guilt surfaced in me, what right did I have to try and gain back the life I had before, a happy one. I had no one to blame for my situation. On the other hand, had I kept him in the dark, would that had changed things at all? At least he knew the risk in being with me. He could have ran and saved himself. He embraced what I was, but did that matter to Alex? For all he could have known Gilbert could have been an innocent he deemed unworthy by sharing my bed.

I turned so that my back was against the arm of the couch and my bare legs were stretched out in front of me. This was going to be a long battle, no matter how I wanted to skew things in their favor, a part of me battled that I had no right to claim the place that was offered to me. Could I really do more good in Forks then living my nomadic existence? It didn't seem likely. Though there was the Bella situation to consider, with her about to take Edward's dark kiss things would need balanced here. Was I just using her as a means to the end that I wanted?

I cried out from the frustration, I had not been this confused about things since debating wither or not to tell Gilbert. Why did everything I did revolve around him still now that he was dead and ash scattered to the wind? Was it just more self inflicted penance or something deeper? I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing until it stopped. I didn't need to breath but it helped me, by allowing scents to fill my nose.

I spent several hours in that manner, just sitting there thinking over my situation debating myself, a vexing habit. I was the one person I could never win against. A tapping at my window fallowed by loud slaps against it brought me back to myself. I went to the window and found the grinning faces of Emmett and Jasper staring back at me. I had been sloppy they were making a move on me. My choice my ass. My hands both began to crack with lightning dancing around them. Emmett slid the window open. "Whoa there Storm, calm down, we are just here to talk, besides if we were going to hurt you, wouldn't Jasper just made you numb out of your skull.?" "Not that you weren't already, but why would we bring attention to ourselves if we were here to throw down?" Jasper pointed out. I let them fizzle out and motioned for them to come in.

"Nice underroos by the way." Jasper said snickering pointing at my under wear, some old thrift store specials with Spider-man or the Hulk or something equally embarrassing. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting visitors." I said pulling on some jeans. "It's cool I think I had the same pair when I was your age." Emmett joked. "Sweet heart, you will never be my age." I grinned. He was stuck in a twenty year old body, and me in a twenty one year old body. "Plus did they even have that sort of thing when you were in your hay day?" Jasper said taking a seat on the floor facing the couch. Emmet sat on the couch and I did the same. I couldn't help but feeling light and happy, I remembered Jasper's ability and shot him a look. "Whatever your feeling I am not doing, unless your feeling horny, but I am spoken for." He winked and I busted out laughing. The sound of it surprised me. I had laughed before and recently, but it was nothing like the bells of true laughter that were falling form my mouth.

"Yeah, exactly, cause if she is feeling horny we all know it is me." Emmett said matter of factly. "Unfortunately I am also spoken form, many times over." he shrugged. "No, that isn't it." I said through the laughs. "I mean if you guys want to make out then we could see …" Jasper started to make a gagging sound causing Emmett and myself to start laughing harder.

After a while my laughter subsided as well as Emmett and Jasper's. "So what brings you to my little humble abode?" I asked folding my left leg up to rest my chin on it. "Well, Carlisle spoke with the wolves, and they agreed to meet with you. They are pretty interested in what a witch is like. So they want to do it tomorrow night. They said they would come to Port Angeles, because it is neutral territory." Jasper told me. "They said they would meet you on the outskirts in a clearing about midnight." Emmett finished. "That is great, but why not just call me and tell me all of this stuff, Alice gave me a cell phone." "Yeah we know, but we just wanted…" Jasper was cut off by Emmet. "We wanted to offer to be there for you in case things get hairy." He giggled at his own lame pun. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "It is alright, I am more then equipped to handle a few dogs."

Jasper sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah but they have experience fighting our kind." "I am not just a vampire I know how to handle myself." I retorted. "We know and it is only going to be Sam and Jacob but still we would like to be there to support our new sister, and you know mix it up hopefully." Emmett said cracking his knuckles. "Ok one your to eager to fight you know that? And two, I am not your sister. I know it is a good offer but I just can't…" "Look, I already know your seriously considering it, I can tell and I think your leaning toward joining us so don't even try and act like you aren't. Plus Alice has seen it, I mean it has changed some since the original vision but she still sees you joining." Jasper said.

"I know all about being lonely and feeling like you don't have a place. Trust me I do. I wasn't complete until I met Alice and we joined the family. I still have troubles controlling myself, humans smell so good to me. But being a Cullen it chases my sadness away, so being a vegetarian is worth it. For you that isn't even an issue. You would have nothing to loose by joining us." Jasper told me. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Look no one is going to force you this is your choice. Jasper told me how sad you were, but I saw how happy you were today running around with Rose and Alice. I mean we were having a great time just now weren't we? You are really fun, and you live like we do. I think we could really help you." Emmett said pleading. I had an idea that this little trip was also on behave of Rosalie and Alice as well if not the whole family. "What about me helping you?" I asked trying to sound hard and acidic, like I was playing hard ball.

"You met Bella, and she told you that we were going to change her. Our family is getting bigger with or without you. This might bring a fight to our door, and we do fight as a family. But that isn't why we want this for you. I mean if it were we would just let you wipe out the pack. Plus if you get on good terms with them, or at least better then us maybe we can avoid a fight all together." Jasper said. Emmet feigned some complaints about not having a battle but for the most part nodded in agreement. I sighed and bought my other knee up and buried my face in them grumbling.

"I don't deserve the life you have. I cost so many their lives. I have to make up for it, and I can't do it by being a Cullen." "Those people in Seattle were killed by a newborn army." Jasper said flatly. "Yeah there is no way that you could have stopped that. I mean I know your powerful or whatever, but still. Those lives are not on your shoulders." Emmett said placing his meaty hand on my back trying to comfort me. "There is another life that does fall squarely on my shoulders." I took a deep breath and braced myself as I started to tell them the story of how I came to be.

Be the end the tears that would never fall weld up in my eyes and my hands were clenched into tight balls. "Vander…" Jasper said his voice was soothing but he was letting me deal with my grief. "He made the choice to be with you. Just like Bella does with Edward. We have our whole family to protect her and sometimes it feels like it isn't enough. You can't blame yourself, if he hadn't have known the risk to himself he still would have died. At least you gave him the honest choice and made his life happy while he had it."

"You gave him the best life, the life he wanted. He would want you to do the same for yourself. To be happy." Emmet said. "If Gilbert saw you now. What would he say to you if he knew you were living your life like this. If he knew you were shoving away a chance to be happy again." I looked down, his words ringing true and making me ashamed. "Even worse, if he knew you were using him as the reason. He stayed with you despite danger to his life because he wanted you to be as happy as you made him." Their words pieced my heart. "Your right. He knew what he was getting into with me, and he faced death head on because of the love I gave him. He would be ashamed that I am living like this. He would want me to be bright and happy again."

Jasper stood from the floor and stretched. "We will be here tomorrow for you. Even if you don't need us, at least we can carry those clothes you got today." He winked at me. And pushed me lightly. Emmett stood up as well flexing his back and shoulders. "The girls are going to be thrilled, well everyone. But you have to admit, it is never a good idea." "To bet against Alice." I finished with him. "I am starting to learn that."

They left through the door instead of the window because it was more accommodating to their larger sizes. As I got back to the couch the phone in my pouch began to ring. "Hello?" I said pressing it to my ear. "So, are you ready to admit that I told you so?" Alice asked. "Yeah, Emmett and Jasper really made me see the light." "I knew they would, nice underwear by the way. So you know as a Cullen you can only wear underwear that has never been worn before, and they can't have cartoon characters on them." "Wow, thanks for kicking me when I am down." I said flatly. "Oh Vander, I know you are not down, and besides what are sisters for?"


	5. A Wave of Rain

It was strange, I felt no guilt when Alice called me at noon the next day to ask me what my favorite colors were. I had the feeling she and Rose were going to set up my room, or something equally as sweet and time consuming. What Jasper and Emmett had told me the night before rang strong in my head even then. My choice was rash but I still felt like it was the right one. I spent that night throwing away all of my old clothes and gathering the few things I owned that I felt the need to bring with me.

I went for a quick hunt, I wasn't really hungry but I wanted to be on the top of my game that night. When I returned home I put myself in a deep meditation. I needed to seriously balance myself out, I had been fooling myself for a long time and things needed to be zeroed out.

"Yo Meditating Beauty, earth to Vander." A snap in front of my eyes caused me to jolt out of my seat. Faster then a human eye can see I pounced on the figure in front of me pinning it, a lighting blade extending along my arm held at the his neck, my forearm muscle's flexing. "Ok, ha ha game is over." Jasper said wide eyed beneath me shrinking away from the lightning. Emmett was roaring with laughter doubled over. "Sorry Jasper." I said letting him up. He shook his head and took my hand and I extended it. "You are pretty fast." Emmett said still laughing. "Shut up, she would have got you too." Jasper grumbled. "Yeah but she didn't, that is why it is funny." Emmett laughed. He wasn't laughing for long, I was instantly behind him and pushed him forward on to his stomach holding my hand as if I had formed the lightning blade. "Still fun?" I asked now it was Jasper's turn to howl with laughter. "No just fun." He said grabbing my arm and flipping me over him before moving on top of me to pin my shoulders with his knees. "Not so hot now are you?" I brought my legs up and crossed my ankles over his neck and slammed his body down on the floor pulling myself up. "What do you think?" "As much as I am enjoying watching Emmett getting owned, I think we should head out so we aren't late." Jasper said holding his sides from laughing so hard.

"At lest you were wearing pants this time." Emmett said as we left my apartment. "Hey maybe if you had some underroos you could wrestle like a big boy too." I laughed. "Hey, I can't help it if you're a freak of nature." "Said the vampire." I retorted to show him I had no hard feelings about the comment. "To the other vampires." Jasper added shoving me playfully. "Yeah, yeah lets just get our run on." I said. Emmett nodded and took off setting the pace and leading the way.

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"Smells like rain is coming this way." Jacob said looking over at Sam who was sitting on his haunches. "When doesn't it smell like rain is coming Jake?" Sam asked sarcastically. "No, it smells different this time, not like normal refreshing, cleaner somehow. Maybe from a tropical storm." Jacob said rolling his eyes, surely Sam smells the difference. "Nah, they are coming though, I can smell Jasper and Emmett, and someone else." Sam and Jacob had arrived earlier then they said they would, they wanted to know the lay of the clearing in case things got messy. Neither of them had met a witch but they knew it could get messy. It was funny though, for some reason Jacob hadn't noticed the approaching smells of Emmet and Jasper, just the wave of the coming rain.

Jacob felt breathless despite having just taken in a sharp breath. Between Emmett and Jasper was a young girl she was the smell, he could tell. Everything in the clearing, the clearing itself disappeared. She had effortlessly elegant chestnut hair that fell in perfect wavy curls to her shoulders that were dusted with freckles, shown off by her sleeveless shirt. Her skin was fair and even, it looked refreshing like a cool glass of water after running all night long. Her face was perfect, her nose was small like a button, which made her large almond grey eyes look more expressive, and her mouth oh that mouth. Her lips were full but not overly so and were the perfect shade of pink soft and inviting. Her tall fit frame moved with grace like she was a wolf herself, not like a vampire or human. As she neared him her smell became more clear, it was clean and crisp, almost like biting into an apple, but that wasn't right. It was like nothing he ever had smelled before. It made him want to run, so he could have a nice long drink of water.

Jacob could hear Sam talking but his words sounded far away and unimportant. He stared intently at her mouth waiting for it to open and speak. It wasn't until Sam ordered him to pay attention and he felt the searing pain rack his brain that he was brought back to the clearing. "Is he always like this?" She asked looking to Jasper. Her voice was amazing, like no other sound he had ever heard. It was full and rich like eating a good steak and just as satisfying. "Are you alright, Jacob was it?" She asked. His heart sang, she was concerned about him and she said his name all in the same breath. Could any man be as lucky as he was right now?

"Yeah, I am great, you know just trying to see what the fuss is. Sorry I didn't catch your name." He said trying to sound cool. "That is because I haven't given it yet. I was sort of worried about you…" His heart started to race in his chest, he felt as if it was trying to get out of his chest and get to her. The brows of the four others raised hearing it. "Right, anyways I am Vander." She extended her hand to Sam and then to Jacob. She didn't feel like a vampire felt. She was soft and there was a frailty to her, her hand was delicate but strong in a beautiful contraction that made him want to kiss the flesh of her fingers, her palm, and the back of her hand, everywhere. He held her hand longer then what was necessary or even normal, but she made no more to remove it.

"As you know Vander is also a vampire as well as a witch." Jasper said. Jacob was still holding her hand and Jacob could see him scrutinizing it. "She has decided to join us and become a member of the Cullen family." Jacob let her hand fall as anger rippled through his muscle corded frame. Why did they have to steal everything from him? First his friend Bella, and now her. It was unforgivable. "Jacob calm down. We are hear so that Vander can see we are a peaceful pack." Sam said his voice sharp. Between the order and Jasper filling the clearing with calming energy Jacob's fire dulled somewhat. "Jacob, I realize the idea of our coven growing larger, must distress you…" There she went again showing concern for him. She was an angel, a goddess, perfection. "But I have made the decision to stay in Forks. I just want to make sure that it isn't going to pose a problem with your pack. Carlisle assured me you are good people who don't hurt humans. I just want to maintain the peace. For the sake of the people, I am a vampire it is true, but I don't thirst for human blood and I will always be a witch a protector of the people. Like what Carlisle told me your pack is like." Jacob held his breath, he had found the silver lining, as a Cullen she would be sticking around.

He knew it was wrong, she was in every way his mortal combatant, but she was so different then anyone he had ever encountered. So beautiful and caring, everything about her sung out to him. He wanted to take her and run, he wanted to feel her excitement and share his world with her. It wasn't natural but he didn't care, she was made for him. Life had altered her a bit but she was still perfection personified. Jacob Black had just imprinted.

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After meeting with Jacob and Sam we headed back, however, they headed toward the Cullen house. "Guys what about my stuff?" I asked. "Oh check your phone. Alice text messaged us. They went and got your stuff already. Alice was going to wait, but for some reason she changed her mind." I checked the phone and sure enough Alice had texted saying she had picked up my things. "She probably couldn't wait to put the finishing touches on my room." I said dryly. "What are you talking about?" Emmett asked trying to cover for Rosalie and Alice. "Because calling me early in the morning for my favorite colors isn't totally obvious?" I asked my brow piqued. "Alright, if they were being that transparent they can try and cover their own asses next time." Emmett said to Jasper and my amusement.

Once we were back at the house I gave the rest of the family minus Edward my impressions of the wolves. A little strange but on a whole pretty decent. I let Jasper and Emmett fill in the rest. Something about Jacob was so particular. Perhaps it was his striking resemblance to Gilbert, or the way he shook when he held my hand. I couldn't put my finger on it. I excused myself saying I wanted to check out my new digs.

Alice sowed me the way. It was a spare room with it's own bathroom, Alice and Rosalie had furnished and decorated it. It was simple and clean with a few splashes of feminine touches and my color of soft lavender. "Elegant but simple, just like you. It was hard to not overdue it on the lavender, but I knew you wouldn't like it." I nodded and sat down on the plush couch. "Thank you Alice and thank Rose for me. I love it." Alice beamed obviously happy to have a new little pet project. "Well I will leave you alone so you can get used to it. If you need anything we are all just a word away." she disappeared and I had to remember that in a house with a mind reader, a seer, and where everyone had supernatural hear I would have to work to keep my privacy. Something I desperately needed to put my finger on Jacob Black.


	6. Paw Print

I threw myself on my bed and sighed. Jacob Black, there was something about him that had put me on edge. Perhaps it was his anger when he heard I was joining the Cullens. No he was strange before then but not angry. I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it was just his close resemblance to Gilbert that had me so thrown. They shared the same skin color, and both had beautiful faces with intense eyes and a good physique. Perhaps that was it. I had to go back there and retrace my steps.

I was out the window and half way there before I had worried about making the others worry about me but I just had to know. I entered from the clearing the same as before and took the slow and careful steps to where we had met . I closed my eyes and ran through every little exchange, trying to find the hidden meaning. "I knew you would come back here." A voice said lowly behind me, I spun opening my eyes. Why hadn't I smelled him coming perhaps because his scent was everywhere in the clearing. Before me stood Jacob Black.

"Really? How did you know that?" I asked raising my brow. His face held a pained expression, like he was longing to do something. Perhaps he wanted to fight me, to decrease the Cullen family size. "Because I had the same idea." He took three long steps and was instantly in front of me. "I had to go over every little thing you did." Was he sizing me up trying to psych me out. "It pulled me this place did, back here, to you." He said leaning close to me, he took a deep breath his body shuddering. "What are you doing?" I asked stepping back. "Smelling you." He replied with a smirk. That smirk broke my heart all over again, it was the exact smile Gilbert had when we had met.

I felt my knees grow weak, something that had never happened to me. I feel forward expecting to hit the ground, instead Jacob caught me pulling me close to his broad warm chest. "Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded and pushed him away from me gently. "Yeah, I guess I just ran to much tonight." I sat down on the ground and brought my knees to my chest. Would he know it was a lie, that I could run ten times that distance and not be fatigued. He sat down across from me studying my face as I tried to hide it against my knees and in my hair.

"You shouldn't hide your face… it is beautiful." He said softly a subtle blush rising in his cheeks. "Yeah they kind of make us that way." I said jokingly trying to chase the awkwardness of the moment away. "I bet you were stunning before." He replied. I laughed and made a face. "Stunning, that is not the first thing that normally pops into wolves minds when they see me." "So your going to be staying around here then?" he asked looking off into the tree line. "Yes, does that offend you?" I asked quickly, finally getting to the meat of the matter.

"No, it ma …it doesn't offend me." He said catching himself. What I wouldn't give to have Edward's power right now, I thought to myself. Before I could catch myself I blurted out. "No what were you going to say before?" His face twisted as if he dreaded saying it. "I was going to say that it makes me happy." I laughed and instantly his face eased. "Why would that make you happy?" He shrugged. "I don't know." Once again the blush lit up his cheeks. "So Jacob, do your pack mates know you're here?" I asked knowing of a packs ability to know what the others were thinking. "Yeah, they aren't t happy about it." "Then why did you come?" "This place is special to me." He shrugged.

"You know if I didn't know better I would think you were sweet on me." I laughed, instantly the color drained from his face. "Would that be so horrible?" He asked in a small voice. My face dropped. "No, but I mean that is how it seems. "Oh well no. I mean no you're a and I am a…" "Exactly." He sighed and laid back looking up at the stars. I sighed and laid back as well. "The stars are really beautiful. I used to do this all the time." I said removing my slip on shoes and wiggling my toes. "Yeah they are, but you don't seem like the star gazing type. More like a business no nonsense type of girl." "Yeah I am now, but I used to be a very different girl." "Once upon a time?" He asked keeping his eyes sky bound. "Yeah something like that." I responded. "Well what happened?" he asked. I heard him shift to his elbows and I could feel his intense eyes on me. I took a deep breath and crinkled my nose. "I lost everything I cared about. I pushed a very dangerous man to far, and he got me back." "What does that even mean?" He asked flopping back down on his back.

I chewed on my lower lip and then used my hands as pillows under my head. "A wolf." I could feel the tension building in my chest and radiating from his body. I started slowly to tell him the story of how I became a vampire, as I went the words began to spill out of me as the tears never would. When I finished I looked at him a tear glistened down his cheek. "You must hate wolves…." "I thought I did, but from what Carlisle and the others have said about your pack, I think there must be good wolves out there as well as bad ones."

"You know coming through what you did, that takes a lot of courage. If I were you I am not sure I would be able to forgive." I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair. "I wasn't able to forgive, to tell you the truth Jacob. Then two very good friends told me that the way I was living my life would not be what he wanted for me. They are right. That is why I joined the Cullens. They don't make me forget, but they help me cope. Plus it sounds like they might need me around here, and if not. Well then I guess I well get a rest from fighting." "Would it be to much to ask if we could be friends?" he asked. "I want to really show you how good a wolf can be." I nodded. "Well Jacob the fact that I am not fighting you right now is a step in the right direction."

"I am glad to hear that. You know you should come up to the rez and really meet the pack. Jacob said sitting up looking really excited. "I don't think your pack would like that." I said propping up myself on my elbows. "Well they all but Sam have to listen to me, so you would be safe, plus they would all be really happy for me if I got to bring you home." I crinkled my nose and my mind started racing. "Why would they be happy to see you bring home a…" I stood up quickly scrambling my shoes on. "Vander what is wrong?" He asked getting to his feet as well. "I thought we were having a good conversation, you know being honest with one another." "Jake you weren't honest with me, you are sweet on me." I said balling my fist angrily. "No I am not, well it is more then that. Vander what do you know about imprinting?" Imprinting, where a wolf finds his soul mate and instantly knows that that person was made for them. "No Jacob, you did not imprint on me. No it's not possible. No, no, no your wrong." I stammered. "I already had my love." "You could love again. You could love me." "I just met you." I said shaking my head. "But Vander you were made for me. Please just give me a chance. I already had my heart shattered by Bella please not you too." "Jake I have to go." I said turning and he placed his warm hand on my wrist. "Please Vander, you said Gilbert wanted you to be happy, what could make you more.." I slapped him, and something happened then. All the tears that I thought would never fall but threatened to started to spill form my eyes. "Never bring that up to me ever again." He dropped my wrist and brought his hand to his face. I left the clearing as fast as my legs could carry me, all things considered that is pretty quick.

I made it back to the house in record time, the tears still streamed down my face. I entered through the front door, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Alice jumped at my sudden entrance. "Have a good run?" Emmett asked jokingly. "Em don't." Jasper said shaking his head. I went past them my feet already had the house memorized. I threw myself on my bed and buried my face in my pillow.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alice asked. I turned and she and Rosalie stood in my doorframe. "No." I said putting my face back against the pillow. "Well to bad, it's what sisters do." Rosalie said sitting on the bed beside me Alice's sat on the other side. "What happened we were worried you left when we saw you weren't in your room." Rosalie said. "I don't want to talk about it." "I am not leaving until you do." Alice said starting to rub small circles in my back. "Me either, and lord knows we have time on our hands." Rosalie added. "Jacob Black.." I said into the pillow. "What about him? Did he attack you while you were on a run?" Emmett asked coming into the room. "If he did, we will rip him to shreds." He said. "Em I don't think that is the problem." He took a deep breath taking in the emotion I was putting out. "I think this is a girls only talk." "Not if he attacked her, that is a breach in the treaty and you saw how weird he was tonight." He argued. "I felt, how weird he was tonight, now I am telling you girls only lets go." Jasper pulled Emmett out as they started to argue.

"Now what about Jacob?" Rosalie asked. I could tell she was interested at what Jasper had said. "I went back to the clearing because Jacob had put me on edge or something. My whole body was tingling and I couldn't get him out of my mind." "So you went back to the clearing?" Alice guessed., to which I nodded. "He was there waiting for me. We started to talk and just something inside me broke you know I told him everything about me. I don't even know how he made me do it." I paused the tears were stopping now. "Go on Vander… let it out." Rosalie said rubbing my hair. "He told me I was brave for trusting wolves after that, and that he wanted to be my friend. He got excited when I didn't say no. He started talking about me going to La Push and how his pack mates would be happy for him. I put two and two together, his words and actions. He told me he imprinted on me. I didn't want to believe him."

They were silent not saying anything. They were as horrified as I was, but they weren't the one's who got weak in knees over him. "Why do you think that made you so upset?" Rosalie finally asked. "I sat up and from the bed side table I removed abound black journal form where Alice had placed it. I opened it and from it's pages a snapshot fell. "Oh." They said in union. The picture was a happy one, it was taken at an ice rink my cheeks were flushed, my hair a little longer pulled back curls falling out, my eyes that day were bright blue. Holding me up as I floundered was a man who could have been Jacob's brother. "When he brought up Gilbert… I lost it."

Alice wrapped her arms around me giving me a surprisingly strong hug. "Ok, so what is the vampire equivalent of rocky road?" she asked softly in my ear. For some reason the joke made me laugh. "A gaggle of school girls?" I laughed. Rosalie looked mortified. "But I think the Cullen girls could really go for pedicures and chick flicks." I finished. Rosalie laughed and shook her head. "Oh you don't mean that…" Alice said looking down. "No I do mean it, shopping spoiled me, I am ready for good old fashion girl time." "I think I have the perfect shade for your eyes." Rosalie said jumping up, leaving the room. "Please black would be so more you." Alice jumped up to go get her color. I pushed the door closed to change into some pajamas Alice had insisted on. When they both returned they had several nail polish colors and movies.


	7. Fun in the Sun

I think I have one consistent reader yay! I want you to know that this story has taken on a life of it's own and I am writing it for you, and for me. I am forever at a loss as to what should happen next. Feel free to let me know your thoughts.

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"Wolf boy left these at Bella's, at least he is fixating on someone else." Edward said tossing a bouquet of wildflowers tied with a rough string a note tied to the stems, my name scrawling over the front. "I don't even want to know, but somehow I don't think I will avoid it." Edward chuckled before leaving. Bella smiled at me from the doorframe. "Take it easy on Jake ok?" I nodded. She disappeared after him.

"Are you going to read it?" Alice said bouncing on the bed. "Yeah come on and read it." Rosalie said leaning forward pausing Bill and Ted's Bogus adventure. We tired of chick flicks after two movies and moved to bad vampire movies, then to Keanu Reeves movies. "I will read it, I repeat I will read it." I smelled the flowers and smiled. I undid the note and unfolded it. 'Vander, I am sorry. I was out of line with bringing him up. Give me a chance to make it up to you, meet me in our spot at noon. Jake' "A spot you guys have a spot?" Alice asked making a face. "What how did you know?" I asked looking at her. "Writing on the paper is imprinted, he wrote to hard." Rosalie said. "It's almost eleven, are you going to go?" Alice asked. "Yeah but , just to tell him to never do anything like this again." I said.

I kicked them out to change. I changed into a black tank top and some olive and pink plaid cropped pants and threw on a jean jacket. I was pulling my hair back into a pony tail when Alice appeared in my mirror her brow raised. "You don't look like a girl who is going to say thanks but no thanks." She said. "I don't want to hear it Alice." I said starting to look for a necklace in a bag of my things, it had a small silver band on it. I found it and put it on, the perfect touch. "I am just saying guys take rejection easier if you don't look drop dead gorgeous." "If I had the ability to not look amazing, I would be employing it right now, I just… I don't know." I said slipping on a pair of black flats. "Well that is true, we are made to look killer all the time. Here take my car, so your not spotted running." I nodded and took the keys. "We will get you a car of your own but in the mean time feel free to borrow ours if you need, and keep your cell phone on." I nodded and exited the room Alice following.

I drove to Port Angeles in Alice's car and parked near the clearing hiking the rest of the way. I entered the clearing and Jacob laughed. "I take it you liked the flowers." I nodded. "They were pretty, thank you. I can't say Edward was pleased but thank you." I said looking up at the overcast sky. "I wasn't to sure how to get them to you without making a lot of trouble, seemed reasonable." "Well next time just call me, Alice gave me a phone." Jacob's face brightened. "So your giving me your number." I nodded. "Phone." I asked holding out my hand. Jacob tossed it to me and I caught it with ease. I programmed the number in and tossed it back. "I am sorry about last night. I am not sorry for telling you what happened. I do think you could love me, but your just not ready yet. I want you to know I will wait for you to be ready." "Jake, watch it…" I warned. "Ok, I just want you to know my intentions. I don't want you acting like you didn't know I was wooing you when the time comes." I laughed and shook my head. "Wooing? Alright, woo away, one two three go." He laughed and shook his head. "Ok that was to cute." I shook my head. "Come on."

Jacob took me to a blanket set up underneath a canopy. I sat down and he pointed up. The underside of the canopy was dark like the night sky with white star like dots making constellations, more wild flowers lay in the middle of the blanket. "It is so pretty." I said in awe of the trouble he must have went through and the beauty of it. "Not as pretty as your face is looking at it." he said blushing. "Did you even sleep last night?" I asked. "Did you?" he fired back. "I don't sleep." I retorted. "Well fair enough." I said laying back on the blanket. "What does the pack think of this?" I asked dreamily. "They wish it was anyone but you, it would be easier." "It would be." I said my eyes making different shapes out of Jacob's stars. "I like a challenge." he said smiling.

"Vander, will you show me your power?" Jacob asked after several moments of silence. I held up my hand letting electricity dance between my finger tips. "It's beautiful." he said almost breathless. "That is why you smell like rain…" I looked up at him and grinned. "Beautiful and dangerous.." I let it fly directing it to a nearby tree exploding it. The tree splintered giving the desired effect, sharp dangerous splinters flying at us. "Vander!" Jacob cried out. His body was over mind shielding my form from danger. After a few seconds he looked back the splinters hit the air barrier I created. "It is high pressure air stopping anything that comes my way." Jacob moved away from me blushing. "I didn't know, or I wouldn't have…" I shook my head and grinned. "Yes you would have. I am surprised you didn't go in for a kiss."

"So is that the extent of your power?" He asked moving to lay next to me. He was so warm like feeling the sun on your face the first day of spring. "No, I can do loads of other things. Spells, potions, healing, weather magic, those are just what I use the most." "That is good to know. Can I ask you a personal question?" He asked. "Sure, but I hold the right to refuse an answer." "Fair enough, what do I smell like to you?" he asked leaning his head against mine. "Like every other dog you have known or something else?" "Well you smell very woodsy, like sandalwood and cedar chips, with a hint of damp earth. It's nice…" I admitted before I could reign the comment in.

I could feel a grin spreading across his face. "What did you study in school? You said you almost graduated." He asked I could feel nervous energy coming off of him in waves before he moved his hand over mine interlacing our fingers. Well they say fortune rewards the brave, I let it stay there. "I was pre-law, I wanted to intertwine my two lives in some small way." "What was your favorite food?" He asked moving our hands from between us on the blanket on to his stomach. "There is a little place in Kansas City, a total local secret called Longboards. It was like a Hawaiian themed shop that served street food from Hawaii, like you can get right off the beach. They made these wraps and then grilled them Panini style. My favorite was the Cabo beef, it had steak, pepper jack, rice, guacamole, and chipotle sauce. They were s huge so you could only eat one, but so good you pushed for two." I laughed. "What about you? Favorite food?" He paused thinking over his choices. "Well this is going to be lame but, my dad used to take me to a place on the rez for special occasions. I always got the prime rib rare with steamed asparagus. It is so good, it just melts in your mouth, you barely have to chew at all." "I loved steak, it was so good, I miss it." I sighed and made a face. "What things do you miss the most?" "Well, food, sleep, kisses, sch.." Jake had moved quickly crushing his mouth to mine.

Instead of breaking the kiss I parted his lips with my tongue waiting to be allowed in. He eagerly let me, he deepened the kiss meeting my tongue with his own. He pulled me on top of him his fingers leaving my hand and running through my hair. He moaned into my mouth and pressed his strong frame into mine. I broke the kiss giving him time to breath while pecking his jaw line. We continued like that for a long time before I pulled away. "Don't say you are sorry about that please, or that it can't happen again." he whispered breathlessly in my ear. "But it can't…" I replied my voice hazy and husky. He hugged me close to him and sighed, He was so warm now like sitting by a roaring fire. "Then don't let this end yet." He said sadly. I simply nodded and buried my face into his chest. It seemed so familiar and safe. Then I learned something about myself. I can sleep.

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A few hours later I felt something stirring at my side and my phone ringing. Jacob was searching for my phone to silence it. My eyes flew open and I sat up. "Damn it." Jacob swore and I smiled at him. I grabbed my phone and pressed it to my ear. "Yeah?" "Vander, this is Alice. You have been gone a long time, and with you being with a wolf I can't get a psychic lowdown on you." "Well I am fine, is there anything else?" "Well we are meeting with the wolves later, to talk about Bella, Esme and Carlisle want us all there you know a united front." "Alright, same clearing as the meeting I had?" "Yeah, they like the place, no one's turf and safe from people." "Do I need to come home now?" "No, you still have time. Is he taking the let down well?" Alice asked. Jacob picked up my hand and started to kiss her finger tips. "Pretty well, all things considered." he bit my finger tip and smiled. "Alright, Alice thanks for the update." "No problem, see you later, and have fun. I know your not letting him down. Which considering what is happening tonight we need him on our side." "Alice I will talk to later…" I hung up annoyed and switched the phone off.

"So, how long was I asleep?' I asked. Jacob pointed at the sky, it was twilight now. "Do you know about the meeting?" I asked. He tapped his head and nodded. "See another reason we can't work. I can't have them in your head when your with me." "But I thought about that, I mean it isn't any different then Edward living with you." "Yes it is, as long as I don't think about you he wouldn't know, and why are we even talking like this will happen?" "Maybe because you didn't see yourself asleep Vander, in my arms for hours, peaceful." He brought both of my hands to his mouth and kissed them. "Besides, the pack is under specific order to mentally block anything Vander related." He smiled wolfishly at me. "Really?" I asked feeling my will buckle. "Yeah, I mean a guy has got to have some privacy when he thinks about his girl." "Don't get carried away, I am not your girl." I said sticking out my tongue. "Well that is what you say, but your kisses, that is another story." He said pulling me into his chest hugging me, I could have easily fought it but I didn't. "The fact you don't pull away from me says different. Fight it all you want Vander, but you want this, you want me." I remained silent taking his words wondering if they were true. "And even if you still refuse the idea, you can't stop me thinking about you. You are to gorgeous to stay out of my mind." I sighed and buried my face in his chest smelling his earthy smell. "Why did I put myself in this situation?" "Because you want to believe you can be happy again. You were you know, when you slept, I just watched you , kept you warm and safe…" His stomach rumbled and I laughed. "Way to ruin the moment, lets get you fed big guy." He nodded and we stood up.

A short drive later we were seated in a steakhouse. Jacob finished ordering for us both, so he could eat mine when I noticed he wore a delicate silver chain with a silver band on it around his neck. "I like your necklace, I have one just like it." Jacob shook his head and grinned. "No you don't." "Of course I do I am wearing it right now." I said touching the silver chain. "I beg to differ" He said lifting the chain up. It was more fine then my original chain and on it was a small wolf charm. "Jacob, when…" "You were sleeping. I made it, pretty simple I pounded the sliver thing and then did the carving." I looked at it, it was small and incredibly intricate. "It is beautiful, but I can't accept it." I said starting to undo the clasp. "Well I am not giving this one back so, I guess you lost a necklace tonight." "Jake, that is my engagement band." I said looking down. "Good then there is no way I am giving it back. Gilbert was important to you, but you can't carry him around hanging over your heart. Vander you can't keep using him to stay like this. I am going to keep it safe for you I promise. When your ready again for him to be a happy memory I'll let you have it back." I bit my lip and nodded my head leaving the necklace on.

Our food came and Jacob ate his quickly moving on to "my" food. I was envious of him for a split second but then got over it. After he was finished I pulled out my wallet and Jacob looked mortified. "You didn't even eat, your not paying." He said slapping down some crumbled bills from his pocket. "Besides gentlemen don't not pay." He smiled. "Gentlemen don't steal from a sleeping girl." I said sarcastically. "You are so cute when you try and be tough." "Oh is that so?" I asked looking around. I put my hand under the table and gave him a playful shock. "Oh good god why did you do that?" he asked jumping. "I am just trying to be tough Jake, besides that is just a little love bite." I blew him an air kiss. He grinned and reached across the table. "You're even cuter when your funny." I stuck out my tongue and sat back in my chair. "If you tell me one more time how cute I am I am going." "Aw come on Vander don't do that." "Why we are done, we can't freely talk, and I don't go for PDA." His face brightened. "Does that mean I get more kisses?" "One more kiss." I said playing hardball. "I can deal with that, I gotta take what I can get." She laughed and stood up. Jacob followed wrapping is arm around my waist.

Once we got in the car I looked over at him. "Do you trust me Jake?" He grinned at me and nodded his head. "Good then lets get physical." His eyes budged out of his head and he blushed. "Uh Vander what exactly do you have in mind?" He asked embarrassment creeping up in his voice. "You said you trusted me right?" He nodded again. "Then you will just have to wait and see, I promise your going to love it." I said driving back to the clearing.

"Absolutely not!" Jacob said placing his hands on his hips. "Why not Jake?" I asked smiling sweetly. "Because you're a a a…" "Vampire, and you're a wolf." I finished. "But I am a big guy I could hurt you." he argued. "Oh come on I heal pretty well, and I am more worried about me hurting you." I said making an exaggerated sorry face. "Vander, look at you you're a delicate girl, and I am a big guy. There is no way we are wrestling." I moved behind him and pushed him down pinning his hands behind him sitting on his back. "Wow you are fast…" He said in awe. I smiled and shook my head. "Why is that always the first thing people say about me?" "Would you rather I say your being sloppy?" He asked flexing his back quickly pulling his arms out of my pin. He flipped me onto the ground on my back fast and hard, it took the wind right out of me. "See now your hu.." I leg swept him interrupting his thought. "Come on Jake would I be able to survive if I couldn't take a little rough house?" He grinned wolfishly at me and scrambled to his feet. I was barely on mine again before he charged at me. I smiled and crouched, grabbing the front of his shirt and using his momentum I flipped him over onto his back. I used his chest as a spring board and pushed off hard with my feet propelling him backward from my now standing position.

I stood waiting for him to get up. "Ok no more mister nice guy." "Oh so now you might be a challenge? I can tell you Emmett is far better at this then you are." He pulled his shirt off and flexed his chest his body tensing. I smirked and shook my head "That is so not distracting." I said before beckoning him with my hand. He ran at me again faster this time. "Don you learn Ja.." I was silenced as he dropped to the ground using a baseball slide to take my feet out from me. He was on me in a flash sitting on my chest pinning my hands above my head and his knees on my shoulders. "Yes it is or you wouldn't have said anything." He laughed and pecked my lips. I arched my body up into him, using the room and his surprise I threw my body to the right hard rolling him off of me.

He grunted and got to his feet again. "If this is playing I would hate to see you serious." he remarked breathless. "Oh take your time by all means." I said. He grinned and beckoned to me as I had to him. I ran at him faster then what was fair and reached up using his shoulders to become airborne. I twisted my body in the air and when I came down behind him I kicked the back of his knees buckling him. He turned in the midst of his fall and brought me down under him. This time he sat on my stomach so I could not arch and throw him off. "I guess this makes me the winner." He said triumphantly. "You would think so, but then you would be wrong." I said bringing my legs up to wrap around his shoulders., he mirrored my move and there we lay legs wrapped around one another's shoulders . "Truce?" He asked after a few minutes of struggling. "Not so much, I don't need to breath, you sorta do, so once you pass out I become the winner." I said tightening my grip with my legs. "That is playing dirty." He craned his neck and bit into my calf, hard enough to hurt but not hard enough to break my skin.

I started to laugh so hard I released my grip. "Did you just bite me like a two year old?" He shrugged as I got to my feet. "A win is a win." I laughed and offered my hand to help him up. Instead he pulled me down onto him and kissed my jaw line. "You were right, that was fun." He murmured in my ear. "I didn't hurt you to bad did I?" I asked playfully. "You could kiss it better…" He offered. "Aww so cute, tell nurse where it hurts." I replied laughingly. "Right here." He said thumping his chest with his thumb. "Aww I kicked you to hard huh?" He nodded milking it for all it was worth. I moved a little and kissed his chest once. "Jacob… what.. Are.. you.. doing.. to.. me?" I asked kissing his chest between words. "And can he teach me how?" A voice asked behind us. I jumped up off of him my fist blazing with lightning. Sam and two others stood behind us, they all had the same large wolfish qualities of Jacob.

"We got worried when you hadn't checked in." one of them spoke. "You are with a bloodsucker after all." said the other. Jacob got to his feet growling. "Watch your mouth Quil, she isn't like that." "No Jake it is alright, I can fight my own battles." I remarked raising my hands the hair on all of their arms stood in anticipation of a lightning strike. Instantly the four of them phased, I swore and jumped back into a fighting stance. Instead Jacob put himself in front of me his hackles raised as he growled. The others backed down while Sam watched me waiting to see what I would do. I dropped my hands and shook my head. "Fighting isn't the answer, I was quick to lose my temper I apologized. They shifted back, all of them naked, but only Jacob covered himself with his hands.

I looked down and closed my eyes. "Aww man I really didn't need to see that." I stuck out my tongue and made a gagging sound. Quil and the other one started to laugh. "Quil Embry can it." Sam barked and they were silenced. "So I will just catch you guys later, umm preferably in clothes." "Only if you aren't clothed.. You know for Jake's sake." Embry said howling with laughter. Even Sam chuckled at that one. "Shut it." Jake warned. "Wow, I really got to go." I said turning to leave. "By Vander, I will call you." Jacob called. I started walking faster as Jacob's pack mates started to howl with laughter.


	8. Unwelcome Guest

Jacob was not laughing. "Why did you guys have to do that?" He asked putting his shirt on. "Do what?" Quil asked. Jacob punched him in the arm hard. "Just you wait till Claire gets old enough, then you will see, at least I will have the decency to not show her everything." He motioned around his loins. This made them laugh harder then before. "You don't get it Vander is so perfect, you don't understand her at all you just want to scare her away. Why can't you just be happy that I am not heart broken anymore?" he asked. When Edward had sent him the wedding invitation Jacob had been devastated. Now he had Vander and as hard as she tried to fight it she was opening up to him.

"Well Jake you couldn't have picked another girl to like? One that isn't not one but both of our mortal enemies, the only one in existence mind you." Embry said. "It is more the like, you all felt it. I imprinted her. I can't help it, she is so sad and skittish about this whole thing, then you morons have to show up and attack her like that." He said angrily. "We didn't attack her, and she was more then willing to blow us to smithereens with that little lightning thing. And you were willing to protect that filthy little bloodsucker." Embry said, he started to continue his little tirade but Jacob lunged. "Don't you ever call her that." He growled. Sam pulled the two apart and pushed Jacob back. "Enough!" He barked, they all fell silent at his order.

"Look, this is not an ideal situation. Everyone knows that. I can't have you fighting over this. Jake is right he imprinted on this girl and we must learn to deal with that. But Jake you must also except that we don't know her, and she is extremely dangerous. Just because she is imprinted to you is not cause enough to trust her." Sam said trying to keep the peace. Jacob sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "If you guys could refrain form calling her names that would be nice. She has a lot of misgivings and reasons to hate our kind." his mind flashed to the story she shared and he passed it on to the others in the pack. "Well we will simply show her we don't operate like that. We don't hurt those we are meant to protect." Sam said anger radiating off of his body, his thoughts showing it was at a wolf who would shatter his sacred purpose.

"It's not just him, she faced many others like him, he just took the most from her. Just give her time, she will come around I promise. I will also talk with her and explain you guys were joking and didn't mean to humiliate her, the rest we will work on." Jacob said. "Alright, but Jake, if it comes like that again you have to sit on the sidelines, I won't have you turn your back on the pack." Sam said and Jacob agreed. "Come on let get back to the rez the others are waiting." Sam said feeling the others getting impatient.

They started back after phasing. "So Jake, what is it like to kiss a leec.. Lady like that?" Quil asked through thought. "Amazing." He responded shutting the others out.

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"They did what?" Emmett asked exploding. As soon as she hit the door Edward had read her thoughts and made them public. "They are dead, attacking a Cullen." He said his body flexing ready for action. "They didn't attack me per say, just were rude and made a fool out of me." I defended. "Plus I was not the nicest of girls out there, all lightening throwing and all." I couldn't believe I was defending the pack like that. Emmett deflated a little and sighed. "So no awesome throw down?" He asked. His tone sounded like a little school boy being scolded by a teacher. Rosalie and Alice laughed despite the tense atmosphere. "No, she is right, she was not on her best behavior and neither were they, but I think it shows we can make this work." Carlisle said. Jasper nodded while Emmett looked more disappointed. "Besides, now Jake might be more receptive to the idea of turning me." Bella said from Edward's side. "It is not just Jacob, this whole thing goes against the treaty, we however have no other choice." Carlisle said. Bella's face fell and she looked down. "I am sorry to force.." Edward put his arm protectively around her. "Oh don't be silly we are happy to have you Bella. You have completed our dear Edward, we could not be more happy." Esme said kindly. "Never the less we have to make this work with the pack." Carlisle said. Edward and Bella nodded. "I think I should stay behind tonight, so not to add more drama." I said looking down. "No." Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice said in unison. "You are a part of our family now." Esme said placing her hand on my shoulder rubbing it. "We stand together Vander, all of us or none of us." Carlisle said. Edward looked panicked for a minute at his words. " I get it, Bella is to important to Edward and the rest of you for us to not stand together." I said, Edward breathed out as did Bella. Alice laughed and winked at me. "Your just as stuck with us as Bella is, get used to it."

"Alright, we are going to tell them our situation. Perhaps seeing how inflexible these people are form the newborn incident they will see this is better in the long run for everyone including Bella." Edward nodded as Carlisle spoke. "That is pretty much all we can do, now I know that Jasper and Emmett need to hunt, so everyone may go but be here at eleven to leave." Emmett and Jasper rose heading for the door. Edward looked at Bella who nodded. "Go I can tell you need to." She said lovingly. "Besides I want to see her face when Alice gives it to her." She smiled over at me. I raised my brow and sighed.. "Great, I can't wait." I said sarcastically. Alice laughed as did Rosalie. The boys left and Carlisle and Esme retreated to their room for the few hours they had to spend together.

Alice came over to me and grabbed my hand. "Come on Vandie. We have a surprise." I rolled my eyes and them had them covered by Bella. "Alice has been dying for you to get home all day for this." She laughed. I was lead the garage I could tell from the smell of oil and precision instruments. "Oh Alice your keys are in your car." I mentioned. "Ok, thanks Vander don't change the subject." She replied. "Oh serious Alice should I be frightened?" I joked. "With Alice you should always be afraid." Bella told me. "Ok, just show her already the wait is killing me." Rosalie said. "Ok one, two, three." Alice said. Bella removed her hands my eyes adjusted to the light. "Oh sweet car." I melted. A racing green black toped Lotus Exige S sat in front of me. "Glad you like it, Rose picked it out, and I test drove it." I was blank looking from them to the car. "I don't get it…" I said finally. Rosalie and Alice laughed and Bella shook her head. "I said we would get you a car." Alice said finally. My jaw dropped, there was no way that that car was for me. "They go overboard, I am going to hate when it is my turn" Bella laughed.

"Oh bullshit your going to hate it. This car goes zero to sixty in four point one seconds, eleven seconds and it is at one hundred. It tops out at one forty eight, and that is factory settings. You work tune it up a little and forget it, this car is a beast." I said running my finger over it's lines. "What is even better is at under three thousand pounds it is easy to move, who would hate this?" I asked. "I knew you would love it." Rosalie said. "Who wouldn't? I mean you guys even got my all time favorite color for a car. How did you know?" I asked. "Well, once we decided to get it the color was easy it came to me." Alice laughed. "Well I don't even know how to say thank you." I replied. "Well this is part of being a Cullen, and your face is worth it." Alice said laughing. "Besides, the fact you know the car is even better. It will be nice having another car person to talk to, who truly understands it." Rosalie said. Alice growled playfully. "It handles like a dream, and it is fast, what more do you need to know?" she asked. handing over the keys. "You mean besides the beauty of how it handles like a dream?" I asked. "Belch whatever Rose junior." Alice laughed. "I am going for a ride…" I said turning it on with the key remote. "Oh listen to her purr." I said skipping over to the car. "I know, pure bliss." Rosalie said her face melting. I got in and waved to them. "See you guys at eleven."

I backed out of the garage with ease. Once I was on the main road my foot hit the accelerator. Rosalie had modified the car it went to sixty in about three seconds and hit one hundred at seven seconds. "Oh nice Rose nice." I found a CD mix of my favorite songs from my ipod and put it in cranking it up. Before I forgot about my deadline I turned my phone back on to set the alarm. Almost immediately I had a text message. "Hey what are you doing?" The number wasn't in the phone so it had to be Jacob. "Driving my new car." I responded. I saved the number and kept driving, I had noticed earlier I hardly need to see the road to drive, the curves just came naturally. "Are you going to leave?" He texted back. I laughed almost felt his angst. I called him, the phone was answered at half a ring. "You are leaving?" he asked distressed. "No, I am just out for a drive." I said turning the radio down. "Oh I thought after what they did you might leave." he said anger filling his voice. "Yeah it sucked, but I wasn't exactly nice either. Though the naked thing was a bit much." "Yeah, they are sorry about that. Are you coming tonight?" he asked. "Yeah I am, mandatory." I replied. "Good, are you still wearing it?" He asked. "Yeah I am, shit I am still wearing it they must have all saw it." I chewed on my lower lip at the thought. "Good, now they all know we are together." He said proudly. "WE aren't together." I said. "Yes we are, you like me." He said laughing. "Whatever, I got to go and turn around so I can be back in time." I told him. "Yeah I got to go to, love you Vander." I could feel him smiling through the phone. "Good Bye Jake." I hung up and pulled a U-turn in the empty street.

Once I was back and parked my new car I went inside the others were waiting. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett's eyes were a light honey topaz. "So did you like it?" Emmett asked. I nodded and sat down on the couch next to Bella. "Ok, everyone lets go. Bella you are with Edward." She nodded as we all stood. She climbed on to Edward's back. We set off running, because I knew the way I didn't wait to be shown like some of the others and I also found my running speed was more then theirs. I stopped and waited for them to catch up and then made sure that I could see one of them at all times. Emmett was pressing hard to match my pace, so it most often was him. Once we were in the clearing we stood in a line. I crossed my arms in front of me a few stray curls falling into my face.

Once they arrived and we had all greeted each other Carlisle began to speak. "I want to make sure you all are aware that Vander is a new member of our family, she shares our same values for hunting. She also has special talents much like others in our family." He was laying all the cards on the table, but I doubted it was new information to any of them. I tried to make myself look hard which was difficult with Jake grinning goofily at me. "Now we are at an impasse with Bella. Her situation is a precarious one. The Italian vampire coven the Volturi have declared that if we do not turn her she will be killed." Carlisle spoke. "What is more important this…" she stopped because no one was paying attention to her. They all were looking at me because lightning was about to strike.

I jumped in front of them slamming my hands down as they became electrified. I had created an air bubble around all of them including the pack. Not only did it protect their smells but it protected them. I was right to act fast because a lighting and fire ball were shot at Sam and Jacob. They fizzled at my barrier. "Sister why do you protect a pack?" A man stepped forward leading five others. Witches. "I am no sister of yours." I said my eyes flashing. "We are all sisters and brothers united through our magic. We are family you must know this." A women said dropping her hood to revel her face the other followed suit. "Please lower your magic if you are to not join us in our hunting." The man asked. "You are not hunting anything. That is my family." I said a dangerous edge slipping in my voice. "Surely you noticed you encased the filthy dogs in with your brothers and sisters. " the women said panic trying to hide in her voice. "Please let release them so that we may balance them out of the equation." Another man spoke. They were all strikingly beautiful their hands ablaze with different elements.

"No, they are all my family, all of them." I said looking back at them Jacob grinning at my words. "You choose flea bags over your own kind?" The first man asked. "You are not my kind." I said looking at them sidelong and then turned to face them, they shuddered unnerved by me. I could feel the irritation from behind me, so many of them wanted to fight the coven of witches. Only Esme, Carlisle, Edward, and Bella were grateful for my protection. "My kind is like none before it nor after it." I said giving a wicked smile showing my fangs. "Vander Astran, I didn't realize" The man stammered looking at the other all whispering my name. "Correct, the greatest of the modern witches. I think you can all agree I can handle things here." A shot of earth pounded against my chest. The pack howled out in Jacob's anger all of them phasing after Sam and Jake. I could not protect myself as well as them so I simply stood. "If you side with wolves and vampires then you have forgotten your purpose." The women who had fired at my accused. They pack was angered at being cased in their wolf forms, Emmett was just itching to rip them apart. I shot lightning at them each knocking them to their knees. The sky above me darkened and lighting was starting to shoot form the sky. "You are mistaken in your equation you are what needs zeroed out. No one in my family hurts humans. You have no place or claim now leave before I get angry. I will not hesitate to balance the scale and you are what needs removed." I ordered. "There are one of you and six of us." The man reminded me. "Actually there are nineteen of me, and six of you." I threatened to lift my barrier counting all of the Cullen clan and the pack. "You wouldn't dare." he said smirking at me. "They are you family." He taunted. "Regardless I am more equipped to deal with you, all of you."

I jumped away in time to avoid being hit by a lightning ball but the splinters of the exploding tree showered me. I cried out, what followed was madness. Somehow Jacob shattered my barrier that I had reinforced after the blast to protect them all. He was over me growling at the witches while Emmett, Jasper, and the pack surged out to meet the witches. The rest of the Cullens surrounded Bella protectively. I heard a scream as Jasper snapped the neck of the witch who had first fired on me, then the pack collect howl as the small gray wolf flew back from the fright her body lifeless and limp. "Enough!" I cried jumping up and over Jacob. Lightning struck the leader killing him instantly thunder boomed instantly bellowing as I had. "Take your dead before four becomes none." I yelled furious my whole body surged with electricity, every tendril of hair alight and jumping, my eyes dancing with dangerous intent. The pack and my brothers backed far from me as they could as well as my intended targets. The wolf was now human a wiry looking women her eyes glazed over. I snapped my hand in a circular motion cutting of the air supply of the second in command. "Quickly before another one dies." They took the two lifeless forms as rain started to pound them dragging the third airless man away. All worried I would give chase.

Once they were out of the reach of my magic I released the storm. Instead of instantly dissipating It began to fester until a large bolt of lightning shot down and struck me. It removed the access electricity from my body. I turned and looked at them my face bleeding from the shards of wood in it. I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head and my body falling but I couldn't stop it, then there was nothing.


	9. On the Mend

"I think she is waking up…" I heard a voice say, it sounded far away from me. I took a deep breath in, air filling my lungs for the first time in who knew how long. There were ten people in the room, The Cullens, Bella, Sam, and Jacob. My left hand was hot, Jacob was holding it, while my right hand being held by a much colder one. My eye lids popped open to see Esme looking down at me holding my hand. I was in my room at the house, strange that Sam and Jacob would be there. "Vander, are you feeling alright?" Carlisle asked leaning over me. "I felt like I licked a light socket." I replied dryly. "Oh no Vander has lost her sense of humor, doctor will she ever recover?" Emmett asked. I shook my head laughing and sat up. "This isn't funny, she was out for days." Jacob said sharply his eyes heavy with dark circles underneath. Must have been a couple of tense days.

"I am fine." I said sitting up stretching my muscles, I could tell they hadn't been used in days. I looked around the room all of my family's eyes were cold hard black. "Honestly didn't any of you hunt?" I asked. Esme shook her head. "No we were to worried about you." "Why? I didn't hit my head or anything did I?" Jacob released my hand his face angry. "You had wood sticking out of your skin and you passed out. Oh lets not forget the being hit by lightning. How the hell aren't we supposed to be worried?" "Jake calm down or leave." "Jacob if you don't calm down I am going to have to ask you to wait outside." Carlisle and Sam said in at the same time. "That's cute, you two been doing that for days?" I asked laughing . Jacob threw up his hands and went outside followed by Bella reluctantly let go b Edward.

"No I will not calm down, she could have been killed and she is cracking jokes. Doesn't she understand I love her?" Jacob yelled. "I am sure she does, but Jake she is trying to put everyone at ease…" Bella said her voice hushed but still audible to everyone. I sighed. "I am sorry to have worried you guys. I didn't mean to." "Oh don't worry, Carlisle was sure you would be fine, that you just needed rest." Esme said. "Yeah the worst part was those splinters, you kept crying out and bleeding as he took them out." Emmett said sitting down on the bed. My hand went to my face, it was healed over no worse for the wear.

"Thank you all." I stretched some more and got out of my bed going to the closet. "Edward what is she doing?" Alice asked pushing off the wall. He opened his mouth to speak but I answered before he could. "Packing." Instantly everyone was up in protest, hearing the commotion Bella and Jacob entered the room once more. "You can't leave! Emmett protested. "Your not leaving please Vander no." Jacob said his heavy eyes growing teary. Edward came forward wrapping his arms around me to stop them from packing clothes. "Good one Edward." Sam said looking on approvingly. "I thought this was my choice." I said coolly. "She is right Edward let her go." Carlisle instructed. "This was not your fault, had you not been here and they would have attacked us still." Edward argued. "Edward get out of my head." "When you stop this leaving nonsense, she is going after them to protect us." he told the others. "I will not have another life on my hands not one of you!" I shouted.

They all looked down thinking on the female that the pack had lost. "Vander, it is only through your protection and skills that we did not loose more then Leah." Sam told me. "Also it was not your presence that brought them here. You saved most of our lives." Carlisle finished. The two were more alike then anyone would care to admit. I stopped packing and sat down on the edge of the couch. Jacob came in front of me and took my hands kissing them. "Please Vander, you can't do this to us. Everyone here cares for you." Tears were coming down staining his cheeks. "You left yourself defenseless for us, so we know you like us at least a little bit." Rosalie said. I couldn't but help but smile. "A little bit." I said as if it was begrudging to admit.

"Not to mention I don't think the pack would swallow the new treaty if you were to leave." Sam said nodding. I raised my brow and Carlisle nodded. "We have revised the treaty based off of your actions. We are going to be allowed to turn Bella, but otherwise must maintain our diet. Also Jacob is free to visit you and you him regardless of where the lines are." My eyes widened. "I don't get it why?" I asked looking at Sam. "You made a powerful declaration, that we as well as the Cullens were your family and under your protection." "I said that in the heat of the moment.. I.." I stammered. "But you meant it and you did protect us, that is what speaks to the pack" Sam said as Jacob nipped my index finger smiling a little. "Not to mention you too that mud ball to the chest like a pro." Emmett grinned. "It is still your choice but I think it is clear how we all feel Vander." Esme smiled at me kindly. I sighed and looked up at them from my hair.

"Good now that your staying, Lets get you out of bed and cleaned up." Alice said coming to pry my hands from Jacob's. I was wearing the same bloody, torn, and singed clothes from that night. "Oh did you have a vision of me in a bath with Mr. Bubbles?" I asked getting off the couch. "No call it wishful thinking." She smiled at me. I laughed. "Oh look the short one is funny." Alice shot me a dirty look while Bella, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper suppressed a chuckle. I left the room and went to the bathroom discarding my ruined clothes and got into a shower. I could hear the others leaving my room as I showered. Days old grime melted off of me and washed down the drain before I started to scrub.

About thirty minutes later I walked back to my room to find a sleeping Jacob on my bed. I changed quickly and sat on the bed. I looked at him and smiled. He hadn't slept in days and now he was out like a light. I leaned over and kissed his lips lightly. "Good bye Jacob, please try to understand ." I stood up and Edward was behind me. "I knew you hadn't changed your mind. It was wrong to make them think that you did." "Then why didn't you tell them?" I asked resuming packing. "Because wither you think it is for a few days or for good you should tell them. Besides I am hoping I wouldn't have to." "It is just for a few days. I have unfinished business with those witches. Then I will come back." "What about the next batch, or a coven of vampires or a wolf pack are you going to slip off and kill them to." He asked coldly. "Keep your voice down!" I hissed. "Answer the question Vander." "If that is what it takes then yeah." I said looking him in his black flashing eyes. "And leave everyone wondering if you are alright or not. Leave Esme sick with worry, scare your little puppy half to death. Is that what you want?" He asked getting louder. "Edward lower your voice right now before I lower it for you." I growled. I didn't want him to wake up. If Jacob woke up and asked me to not go I knew I would not be able to deny him, if any of them knew I could not take their eyes begging me to stay. Edward grinned, I had made a big mistake. He lifted his foot to kick the bed.

"Alright, you fight dirty you know that?" He grinned and shrugged. "Hey you are the reason I am getting Bella I can't just let you leave." "I am going to punch you in the jugular vein." I nodded and drew my hand back playfully. "Actually you are going to get outside and go hunting with us" Emmett said from the doorway. "Oh what is this a Cullen boy intervention?"" I asked. Jasper laughed falling form the tree outside my window. "Are you kidding me it is. This is crap." Edward shrugged and smiled. "Hey can't blame us for trying." Emmett said. "Besides I am ready for a wrestling rematch." I grinned walking to him followed by Edward. "Oh did you get yourself a pair of underoos then?" Emmett laughed and put me in a head lock. Edward laughed at the scene I guessed was going through Emmett's head.

We all went hunting, I ate about three times what the others did but Carlisle said it was a good sign. Once we got back Jacob was awake. I leaned against my door frame and watched as he went through an old picture album. "A lot less purvey then what I had imagined but ok." He snapped his head up and blushed. "Hey you ate." He said pointing at my eyes. "It is rude to point." I laughed going to sit beside him. "Is this ok?" he asked looking down at the pictures. "I would have liked to be asked but sure." "These are amazing, you look so happy." He said looking at pictures of when I was a small girl. "It is so cute you were chubby." He laughed as I scrunched my face. "Wasn't fun for me." "This one is my favorite." He said pointing to a picture of me in a red and white jumper with two other kids on a white fence feeding horses apples. "Tell me about it." He asked. "Well I am about seven or so, before my hair started to curl. That is my grandmother's ranch. She had about one hundred head of horse." "Who are the boy and girl?" He asked pointing to them. "They are in here a lot." They were shocking blonde with blue eyes. "Well the boy is my brother Michael and the girl is my sister Stephanie." "You have a brother and sister?" He asked making a face. I nodded. "Michael is or was a year younger then me and Steph three years. So that makes Michael twenty two now and Steph is twenty her birthday was about two weeks ago, give or take." I swallowed letting out a sigh. "What happened? Obviously they are still alive." "Well I was clearly a witch as a child and they weren't . When we were little they didn't really care, it was kind of cool to have all the grown ups in our family look up to me. But then they started making Mike and Steph leave me alone to practice. They got distant from me forming an anti-Vander club. In school it got worse, I was so good at everything and if I wasn't it didn't matter, people liked me. It was to much for them. My Mom died and I moved out so magic would trouble their lives any more. They were happy you know that Dad was paying attention to them, so I stayed away. When they found Gilbert there were so many parts and so much blood everyone thought it was both of us. So to them I am dead." Jacob wrapped an arm around me and gave me a squeeze.

He flipped the page before I could shut the album. There they were pictures of me and Gilbert. Jacob swallowed hard and shut the album. "We really look alike don't we?" I nodded and let out another sigh. "Yeah, you do." He hugged me again this time with both arms pulling me in tight. "I didn't realize…" he said into my hair. "How could you have?" I asked laying my head on his shoulder. He didn't say anything just held me.

After a while his stomach rumbled and I pulled away. "Don't tell me you didn't eat either." "I was worried about you." he defended. "Ok that is it, go get something to eat and call me whenever you wake up." He shook his head. "I don't want to leave you." He whined. "To bad it is an order, I ate and I slept so you have to as well." He frowned. "You didn't sleep you were unconscious." "Do I need to get Emmett to make you leave?" I asked playfully. "No, you're a grouch." he teased. "Yet you love me, or so I hear." He blushed and stood up. "Alright, but tomorrow I am taking you on a date. In Seattle. No saying no." He wagged his finger at me. "Alright only if you go get food now." He grinned and gave me a quick but passionate kiss then left.

I unpacked my bag and then closed my door. I turned on my little beaten up laptop and turned on iTunes to start working out. After days of motionlessness I needed the activity.


	10. Bump in the Night

I had worked out for a good hour before slowing down. I can't remember making the choice but before I knew it I was out my window again. Jacob had said it was the clearing that had pulled him, but it was him that was pulling me. He had spent has last couple days watching me sleep, I had the compulsion to watch him sleep. I had never been to La Push before but I didn't need to know the lay of the land to follow Jacob's smell.

His house was easy to spot, or smell as the case was. I would have made an attempt to pick the lock, an easy feat but the door was unlocked. "Oh Jake with the things that bump in the night you should be more careful." I said in a whisper. The house was shabby but better then the places I had stayed in. Jacob's father was wheelchair bound and asleep in front of a flickering TV. I smiled and shook my head slipping past him silently.

I found Jacob's tiny room, his bed nearly consumed it all, but it was still barely large enough to contain him. His body was twisted up in his blankets , his belly full and in digestion. He slept in a pair of boxers on his stomach. I carefully unwound the blanket from his legs keeping my touch light. After I was finished I spread the blanket over him. I perched myself on the edge of his bed.

Several times in the night Jacob called out my name. The first times I thought he was awake before realizing he was just dreaming. Jacob's father woke up early to go fishing with some of his friends, not once checking in on his son. Jacob slept for several more hours waking up about one in the afternoon. "It even smells like her." He said hugging his pillow. "Maybe that is because you don't lock your doors." I said grinning.

Jacob's head snapped up his eye brows skyrocketed into his hairline. "Vander?" "In the flesh, you know a lot more real then those dreams you had." I said nudging his leg. "You been here that long?" He asked pushing himself up. I nodded. "Yeah, I left my house about an hour after you did, took a couple minutes to get here." I shrugged. "You aren't angry are you?" I asked. He grinned and shook his head. "No, curious but not angry. Angry would be the opposite of me right now." I shook my head and stretched out my legs.

"I can't help it Jake, I was drawn to you. You watched me while I was out fair is fair. Don't you go to school Jacob?" he shook his head. "Summer." "Oh that is right, I forget how things work sometimes." I shrugged. "Come here you." He said attempting to pull me to him. "I don't think so." I said holding him off with one hand. "I don't get it, you came here but you won't come to me?" he asked. "Jake, you just woke up." I pointed out his face blank. "You have morning breath, not really that appealing. Plus you are kind of smelly days without showering and all."

"Oh right." he blushed and scrambled around me out of his room. I laid back onto his bed inspecting his room as he showered. He was taking great care trying to look his best after he exited swearing at his hair for being hopeless. I chuckled. "Hey you." He said leaning against the frame. I looked up and grinned. "Take long enough?" He deflated and shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "Sorry we can't all be effortless sexy." The cologne he put on hit my nose and I made a face. "I like it better when you don't try as hard, your a lot more effortless sexy then you think." He smiled and came to the bed in less then a stride. "You think I am sexy?" "No." I said flatly, like my voice had no will to lie to him. "Yes you do, admit it." He said prodding me in the side. "Fine, your pretty not bad, for a wolf." I said teasing him.

He laid beside me on his side putting on of his legs over mine his fingers twisting in my hair. "Vander I didn't say anything embarrassing did I?" He asked his face scarlet. "I don't know how embarrassing is 'Oh Vander mmm yes…'?" I asked making my voice husky. "I did not." He shot back his heart racing. "If your not worried about it then why did your heart start racing? But no nothing embarrassing." He sighed and pulled me close burying his nose in my hair.

I brought his hand to my mouth and kissed the back of it. "Jake may I make a confession to you?" He nodded. "I hate being with you like this, it makes me feel alive again. It makes the realization that I'm not so much harder when your gone. That is why I came." "Vander you are alive, just not how you used to be. You just need to realize that." he slipped his hand under my shirt and slid it over my stomach to rest on my side and I shuddered. "See you are still very much alive." He fell silent if his breathing weren't irregular I would have thought him asleep. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Enjoying touching you, your skin is amazing, like a glass of water." he replied. "You worry about it's contents?" I asked. He laughed and shook his head. "No pure and refreshing." "Oh you mean like a virgin's blood on All Hallows Eve?" I cackled. "Right that was to weird for words." He made a face. He got serious and brought his eyes to mine. "Have you ever?" "No, it doesn't tempt me at all. I need blood to survive and more then a run of the mill vampire because I use a lot of energy. But I stick mainly to deer, they are over populated in most parts of the country and their bodies are easy enough to depose of." "Oh… what.." I cut him off. "Have you ever had sex Jake?" His face flushed and he looked down. "Where did that come from?" "Well you ask all these in depth questions about me, why don't I get to ask my own? I wish you would just let us be and not ruin it with questions. My past in painful for me, I will tell you when I am ready."

He murmured sorry in my ear and then nibbled my lobe. "No I haven't." He said softly moving his hand form under my shirt to my jeans fly. "My Dad is out right now…" He said his voice husky. "If the next words are want to fool around, I am breaking your jaw, and if you like that hand I would move it." I whispered in his ear. He moved his hand and blushed sitting up. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…" I shrugged. "I am fine, I just don't want you to get carried away, we have been on one date." I held up my index finger to illustrate a point.

His head shifted and then looked at me. "They are worried, Alice thinks your dead because she can't find you and you left in the middle of the night and left your phone. " He told me. I made a face and held my hand out for his phone. "Shit." I called my phone which was instantly answered. "Jake, do you know what happened to her?" Alice's worried voice asked. "Um I went for a run and it took longer then I planned.." I said in a small voice. "I am not used to living with other people or having a phone." I said explaining. Alice sighed in relief and told the others my situation. I could hear Edward being annoyed and Emmett making a lewd comment in the back and being silenced by Rosalie's glare. "It's fine but in the future be more careful and considerate. Don't scare us like that." "Got it, and Alice for what it is worth I am sorry." She hung up the phone obviously angry at me.

"I should go." I said pushing myself up. Jacob pushed me down. "Let them cool off a while, plus I want to spend time with you before we go out tonight." "If we are going out tonight then what is the point?" I asked. "You aren't a fan of PDA remember?" He grinned and kissed the corner of my mouth. I smiled and shook my head. "I have to go." "Vander, please stay." He pleaded. I nodded and he smiled at me. "For a little while."

I stayed a lot longer then I expected. Jacob started talking about rebuilding his own car and that set us talking for hours. It wasn't until Billy came home I realized how late it was. "Well I guess I will see you later?' I asked. He nodded. "Yeah pick me up at nine." he gave me a quick kiss then allowed me to stand. "Is there a not past your father way out?" I asked. "Just go he is harmless." "Walk me then." I offered my hand for him to get up and he smiled. Billy arched his eyebrows as we walked past. "She is cute, that is the vampire?" He mouthed to Jacob who was shaking his head for his father to be quite. "Yeah, I am, Vander." I said giving him a wave. "But I much prefer roided out leech, you know cause of the magic and all." I said trying to keep a straight face. "She is a funny one Jake." His father said chuckling a little as I exited.

----------------------------------

Angry was an understatement, but I could understand. I sat in the living room bring politely told off by Alice. I felt like I would have in high school if my parents had cared what time I rolled in at. I guess fighting wolves sort of gets you off the hook for having a cur view. "But you can make it up to us, you are going dancing tonight take us with you." Alice laughed, I guess she wasn't all that angry or she was just easy to forgive. "I am not going dancing tonight, Jake is taking me out." I said quickly. "I guess he is taking you dancing, perfect we can double times two." Rosalie said. Bella groaned from her spot beside Edward. "But I am a horrible dancer, I will probably take out the whole family with one misplaced mashed potato." I couldn't but help but laugh. "but if you don't come they will never forgive me, can you have that on your head Bella?" She sighed and gave up. "Alright but if anyone starts bleeding I am holding you guys responsible." Emmett grinned and shook his head. "It has been awhile since we did anything together, it should be fun." Jasper had already left to go get ready knowing how carefully Alice would examine what whatever he wore.

A couple hours later Jasper was still unsure what to wear and Alice and Rosalie had put Bella and I through the ringer. I laughed as Bella exited the bathroom her hair in wavy curls wearing dark makeup and tight jeans and top made to look torn and vintage. "Laugh it up." My hair was straight and tamed and my make up felt unnatural on my face. I was wearing black flats and a tight fake vintage jean skirt and a black half tank top half long sleeve shirt torn to revel a little cleavage. "Alice this outfit is ridiculous." I said as she exited the bathroom with Rosalie. "You aren't fighting anything you are dancing the outfit is perfect, makes your legs look miles long." "But they are!" I cried. Most of my height came from my legs. "Oh stop it dress up is fun." Rosalie laughed.

Emmett, Jasper, and Edward entered my room looking a little sharper then normal. "Then how come they get to go as themselves?" "Yeah?" Bella echoed my complaint. Unfortunately her kryptonite Edward told her she looked stunning and she quieted. "Fine lets just go get Jake." I hadn't run the new arrangements by him but then again I wasn't giving a choice or the time to do so.

I drove the Volvo to La Push, the only car that could accommodate all of us. Jake's eyes nearly jumped out of his head at the sight of me. "Not a word, Alice made me. Speaking of which they are all in the car coming with us. A peace offering for me running off last night. Be nice." He shrugged and closed the door behind him. Apparently while I was out Emmett and Jacob had become something like friends. I rolled my eyes as they started talking sports.

In Seattle Alice directed me to a club and I parked. Instead of waiting in line we were let in instantly, a bonus of being unnaturally beautiful. My first thirty minutes were spent sending back drinks sent to me and being begged by Alice to get me on the floor. Bella was dancing carefully with Edward and Rosalie and Emmett were having fun in the middle of a group. Dancing in my room was a lot different then doing it in front of a group of people I didn't know.

It took Jake and Jasper to pry me from my seat and get me on the floor. I started to dance bouncing my shoulders to the beat of the music. The rest of my body followed as I started to dance with Alice. Soon I was dancing with Jake and Jasper as well laughing. I grabbed on to Bella and Jasper nabbed Edward as we were absorbed into Rosalie and Emmett's group. Once again I was having fun despite myself.

I was having fun teasing Jake by dancing on him his heart pounding whenever I did so. What was more fun was dancing with other guys but never letting them touch me seeing jealousy take him over as he pulled me to him.

Everyone but Bella noticed a now familiar smell of magic working their eyes following the source to a shocking blonde girl and boy. 'They are blocking their thoughts, all I can get off of them is music.' Edward thought at me. A skill I had never mastered a mind reader knew to give me space so it had never been an issue. The pair weren't from the group at the clearing but they seemed to know us. For some reason I had seen their faces before, they were familiar to me. As quickly as they had probed us with magic they were gone.

Before I knew it I was tiring my hair up behind my head in a loose knot, ripping slits in my mini skirt and had ripped the one long sleeve off of my top as I went. I could hear Edward calling my name in my head and everyone yelling for me to come back, but I didn't care. They didn't need to get involved in magic any more then necessary. I was nearly to the door when arms wrapped around me from behind. I was about to slam my head into whoever's nose when Emmett's voice was in my ear. "Enough of this cowboy bullshit. We stand as a family remember?" "Yeah.." I said softly. "Good now go collect your boyfriend he almost fainted seeing you rip your clothes almost off." he joked. I turned to see them all looking at me with wonder.

We meet up and everyone knew it was time to go. We worked our way out of the club and out to the parking lot. The pair was leaning against our car. Edward jumped from beside Bella to stand in front of her protectively. I didn't bother protecting them, Jacob had managed to shatter my protection he could do it again and I didn't want to waste the energy. "Greetings sister." They said smiling at me but in a threatening way. "I have said it once and will say it again. I am no sister of yours." The man smiled and raised his brow. "Oh on the contrary we will always be more kin to you then any of the beast and leeches you have claimed Vander." "Exactly Sisto." The young girl said. The name brought me back and it hit me where I had seen their faces. "Mike, Steph?" I asked. "Oh a little slow but at least she got it." Michael said. "What happened Vander you used to be good." Stephanie said sharply striding to me, sizing me up. Michael examined Emmett and Jasper. "So these are the brothers you rather then me. They are disgusting, and that flea bag. If he lusted after you any more I might have to kill him for having those thoughts about my big sisto." Jacob growled but was silenced by my glare. "Leave them out of this, and go home there is nothing for you here." Stephanie slapped me in the face with all of her strength, the act stung me more then the pain. "Why, you are the one that brought them into this. Claiming them disgracing our family name, though you have always been a selfish bitch Vand." Stephanie said. "Besides Vander why should we go home, you never do." Michael finished.

"I wanted you to be happy." I said defending my actions. "Oh once we got a chance to shoe what we could do too we were happy." Michael said he snapped his fingers and Jacob started to struggle unable to breath. I jumped forward and pushed him breaking his concentration. "Not him." I growled. "No then pick another Vand." "Not any of them. Ever." I said shaking with anger. "Oh but we aren't nearly finished sisto. It took us a long time to find you." Stephanie said spitting on Alice. "You will never be her family not like we are. I balled my fist and used my elbow to strike her in the face. She spit blood from her busted lip and grinned.

"Good Vander, get angry, Your more fun to hurt when your angry." Michael said as Emmett took a hold of Jasper to keep him from losing control. "Don't worry we aren't done by a long shot." Stephanie said backing up to Michael's side. They clasped hands and disappeared.


	11. Duty

I let Edward drive back because I was still shaking. My brother and sister weren't supposed to know I was a vampire, or have powers. I guess they were always there but I had never paid attention because of my own abilities. Their lives had been made horrible because of me. "Vander don't blame yourself, you weren't the only one focusing on you." Edward said from the font. "Don't even think about leaving because of this. This isn't your fault, we can fight them." Emmett said touching my shoulder. "I am glad you think so because I don't know if I can. My little brother and sister…" I sighed. Of course when they had threatened Jacob and my other family I was more then prepared to throw down.

Jacob wrapped his arm around me and I sighed. "What gets me is why didn't Alice see them coming?" Jasper asked. I sighed. "They are great technically they can block Edward. They probably had runes to protect themselves from me scrying for them or reading them. They came prepared to fight me, using the best safeguards. Probably some of my own stuff." I shook my head cursing not stealing my old books. "Vander! Would you stop blaming yourself, if it wasn't your books it could have been your mom's or any of your family who would have the same thing." Edward said sharply. It was annoying having a brother who could read your every thought. "But you love me anyways."

It was strange, I did love them all I felt more close to them then I had ever my brother and sister. They actually wanted me. Edward was silent and I nodded a thanks to him. He grinned and shook his head as if to say it was nothing. Instead of dropping Jacob off Edward took us home so I could take him.

The others went inside leaving Jacob and I to talk. "I am sorry I ruined your date night." I said running my fingers through my straightened hair. "Well, this is nice to I don't mind it.." He laughed and I smacked his shoulder. "I meant the whole dancing thing." "I had a blast, and you know I am starting to feel better about you and Bella living here." He looked down kicking the dirt with his toe. "What about the other thing?" "You had no way of knowing about that…" he said drawing me into his arms. "You almost died Jacob.." I pushed him away. "Oh no, you saved me, your not pushing me away because of that."

"You heard them they want to take everything away from me." Jacob grabbed me and kissed me. "I won't let that happen Vander. No one will ever take you from me. I only ever want to see you happy." I smiled up at him and rubbed my nose against his. Jacob looked up and sighed. "I have to go I am on patrol tonight, we are doubling efforts after the incident and Sam and I skipped out for a while you were out." I nodded. "Yeah, well don't be surprised if I show up a little later. To tuck you in."

He smiled and kissed me. "I would love that." I turned to go inside. "Hey Vander?" I turned "Yeah?" He snapped a photo of me on a disposable camera. "What is that about?" "I want pictures of you and me for your book." I smiled and shook my head. "Go to work Jake." I went to the house and closed the door behind me. The others were waiting with Esme, Carlisle was on call.

Esme came to me and gave me a hug. "I didn't know you had a brother and sister." She said softly. "don't be silly I have three brothers and three sisters." I replied making a face. "You know what she meant." Jasper said. Edward smiled and nodded to me. "I was having an surreal moment back there. But unless I am mistaken none of you threatened them, tried to strangle the life from them, or spit on them. I could be wrong." Emmett shook his head. "No, you aren't wrong." "Right, well I had this life dealt to me, as Carlisle said. But even before that they weren't in my life. There wasn't a reason to involve them. Now I have chosen my family, a family that loves me and accepts that I am a freak. I would proudly claim any of you over the two of them" "Oh your not a freak" Esme said hugging me tight.

I looked at them all after Esme released me. "Besides I am through with cowboy bullshit." I smiled and Emmett winked at me. "I am ready to face them with my family, I am just not sure they are ready to face my family." Emmett smiled and high fived Jasper and Alice shook her head. "They defiantly aren't ready for the Cullen clan." Bella laughed. "I don't want to kill them please understand, but if it comes down to it, I will pick you over them." I said softly. I glanced up at Rosalie and grinned. "Unless they offer me Porsche, then your on your own." She shook her head and laughed. "If they have a Porsche then I am clubbing you over the head and taking it." This made everyone laugh.

After we talked a while I stood up and stretched. "Alright I am going to change and do a quick patrol. Make sure everything is safe." Jasper shook his head. "Not alone you aren't, I will go with you." I nodded and bounded up the stairs. I changed quickly into jeans and a tank top and threw on a hoodie. Jasper joined me dressed pretty much the same. I could tell from his eyes he needed to hunt. "Meet you in thirty?" I asked and he nodded. He left and I was about to exit as Bella touched my arm. "Vander?" I turned and smiled at her. "Yeah?" "Stay safe, you mean a lot to them, and to me. Because of you.." I shook my head. "Bells don't worry about it. I said I have three sisters, that number included you if you weren't to sure about the math." She smiled and gave me a small hug. I left followed by Edward and Bella to get her home.

I swept the area around the house putting up traps against magic. I made them up as I went along so no one would have knowledge of them. We checked all of Forks putting up guards around Bella's house as Edward watched us from the window nodding his thanks.

"Alright, I think that should get it." I nodded. I looked toward La Push and sighed. "Go, but keep your cell phone on." I nodded and gave him a hug. "Thank you Jasper." He shrugged. "I know what it is like to feel like a monster, Alice saved me. Jacob will save you." I smiled and looked down. He pushed me toward La Push .

I set off at top speed . As I crossed the boarder I spotted a huge russet wolf and smiled. I went to Jake's house and set up protections and scattered them around La Push. I spotted both Sam and Jacob several times. I went to Jacob's house and sat underneath his bedroom window. "What were you doing?" Sam and Jacob appeared from the tree line in baggy gym shorts. "I put up wards against witches, pretty much I can pass, any other witch will be trapped and it will let me know." I explained. "I put them in Forks and around our place." I nodded. "That was thoughtful thank you." Sam said nodding. "Not a problem." I said.

"I heard what happened with your family." Sam said looking at me apologetically. "They were attacked by people who are mistaken." I nodded. Jacob hugged me and I pushed him a little. "Your on duty" I said smiling. "Yeah, for only a little longer Quil is reliving me." He said looking at me. "I will wait right here for you." I smiled. Jacob opened the window and looked inside crossing his arms. "Go inside." I sighed and went inside the room. "Alright." "Make yourself comfortable." He instructed kissing me as Sam rolled his eyes. I shut the window and sat on the bed. They went to the tree line again and Jacob howled after he phased.

I tried making myself comfortable but failed. I looked around and found a large t shirt and gym shorts and changed into them. I laughed at myself, I looked ridiculous but it felt good to be in boyfriend clothes once again. I settled on the bed and closed my eyes listening to the game Jake's father was watching.

About an hour later Jacob entered the house turning the tv off and getting himself a snack and some juice. I was stretched out on his bed when he came in. "Hey Vander… are those mine." "Oh yeah, I hope you didn't mind the jeans were really tight and I wasn't comfortable." he grinned and sat on his bed turning his tv on. "You might want to change… " He said taking my hand interlacing our fingers. "Are these dirty?" I asked cocking my head. "No you look incredibly sexy in them." He chuckled. "Isn't that the point of wearing your boyfriend's clothes?" I asked. He smiled and laid back. I laid back into his arms and smiled. "This is nice, you are so amazing." Jacob smiled.

I sighed and nuzzled into him. "Jake, I love you." I said softly in his ear. "I know, I love you too." He said squeezing my tightly. "Will you stay the night?" he asked to which I nodded. "Yeah, I want to see if I can sleep." He grinned and kissed my hair. "Your Dad is going to flip…" I sighed. "Nah he was ok that you were here last night. I mean he knows how I feel about you." He smiled. "How is that?" I asked. "I want to spend forever with you." He replied. "Forever is going to be a lot longer for me then it is you." I said sadly. "Hey none of that… I figured it out. When I am twenty one I am going to get myself changed." I shot up and looked at him horrified. "No Jacob." "Yes Vander, I want to be with you." He said pulling me to him. "I won't allow it." I said shaking my head. "Neither will the pack." "Well I will deal with it when the time comes." "Jake there won't be a time. You don't know what it could do to you."

He sighed and shook his head. "You didn't know what it was going to do to you." "I didn't choose this, this chose me. I just refused to die, I never knew this was going to happen." "I have to try, for you." He said squeezing me tightly. "No you don't. I mean how will you even manage to get turned. I won't do it, I don't even know if I can." "You aren't the only pair of fangs in town Vand." Jacob smiled. "Well none of them will do it I will make sure." I made a face. "Let's just drop it. Ok?" I nodded and kissed his cheek.

Jacob rolled on top of me and started to kiss the base of my neck. I giggled and tried to deny him access. "Stop I am super ticklish." He grinned at me and started to tickle my side. I started to squirm and tried to tickle him back. I learned his thick frame wasn't ticklish. "No Jacob stop…" I pleaded trying to get from underneath him. He laughed and pressed against me harder still tickling me.

I pinched him hard and he rolled off of me. "Fine, no tickling. I thought it was funny to find your one weakness." He laughed. "I have many weaknesses." I said raising my brow. "Like what?" he asked skeptically. "Well you for one. I find myself powerless against you, like tonight I would have killed Mike if he hadn't have lost his concentration. Really all of you. I am just now getting my life back, if anyone tries to take that from me I will kill them." I looked down almost ashamed.

"Vander.. Believe me there is no shame in that. You have a right to fight for what is yours. You lost so much and now you want to keep what you have that is normal." He kissed my cheek and buried his face in my hair. "Just like if anyone tries and take you from me, they better have packed their Wheaties cause I am gonna bring it." I laughed and kissed his bare shoulder.

Shudders ran through his body as I showered kisses over his broad chest. "Are you alright?" I asked looking up. "I am in heaven." He replied. I pushed him from his side to his back and continued to kiss him even daring to nip him playfully but carefully. I licked a spot beneath his collar bone before started to suck it lightly trying to form a hickey. He moaned softly and I could feel him steadily growing hard underneath me. I sat up and pulled off his over sized shirt.

Jacob looked up at me his face flushed. He reached up behind me and with a quick movement unhooked my bra. I was about to pull it off when a shock ran down my spin. I grinned looking down at him. "Duty calls." As I spoke twin howls rang out from the night. "Oh are you kidding me?" He asked looking up. "Nope, but you stay here I will take care of things."

He sighed but I was already off of him and changed into my clothes from before. I opened the window and smelt blood. I went out of it quickly and ran my fingers along his window muttering protections before leaving. I quickly ran to the spot that was triggered. Two wolves, Quil and Embry from the looks of it stood over a third. A howling witch stuck in my protection.

My fist lit up with electricity and I punched the witch reveling his face. A man from the clearing a few nights back. "I could have sworn I ordered you away from my pack." He tried to spit on me but it evaporated into nothingness. "We don't take order from you." He said disdain filling his voice. I backhanded him. "You should I could kill you where you stand." I said. "We take orders from those who are stronger then you. True Astran's who honor the name." I laughed. "I made that name, when people speak of the Astran family they speak of Vander the greatest modern witch the world has known." He fell silent. "Nothing to say now? Because Michael and Stephanie Astran are nothing better the hedge witches reading from a master's book." Quil whined at me and they parted. Sam's wolf body lay between them the light in his eyes fading fast. The witch had managed to get a fire shot off before walking into my trap. I howled in fury and sent a deadly bolt into the man. I waved my hand releasing the trap and sending him flying into the distance.

"Embry go and get wild mint and find some aloe if you can Quil run ahead to Sam's house and tell who ever is there to boil water and lots of it making a pot of boiled sage, thyme, and rosemary. Then get someone out here to take that body to the clearing, they will look for it there when he doesn't return, but make sure they hide it." They nodded. I went to Sam and put my ear to his chest. His heart beat was slow. "Sam, unphase for me. I need to carry you to your house and heal you. It won't work as well if your wolf." He nodded barely and transformed into his human state.

I carried him back, his smell was everywhere and close to me so his house was hard to find. I found it quickly enough. Quil was there instructing Paul and Jared on what to do. "Alright someone go get Jake please." A women saw Sam's body and went white and almost collapsing if it weren't for Quil. "Emily…" He said with worry. I put Sam's naked form on the table not mindful of really anything. "Emily is that your name?" The scared beauty nodded. "I need your help so Sam can live, please." She nodded and her face returned with color her will setting. "I need lots of clean cloth please." She nodded and freed herself of Quil. Paul and Jared left hopefully to go get Jacob and then set about hiding the body.

Emily returned with an arm load of clean cloths everything from washcloths to pillow cases. I took a boiling pan and set it beside me and then too a large hand towel and dipped it in the water. "Doesn't that burn you?" Emily asked with concern. "No and even if it did it must be done." I said my hands gingerly cleaning the area trying to separate blood from actual wound. Embry arrived naked his clothing pouch filled with mint and aloe. "Good job." I said. He dropped the pouch and wrapped himself in a towel. The wound was still bleeding. I swore and closed my eyes. I started chanting and a healing light came from my finger tips. Sweat collected on my furrowed brow. My magic wasn't meant to heal wolves, so it was an up hill battle.

I had stopped the bleeding finally when Jacob crashed through the door worry on his face. "Jake, focus, I need you to take the herbs in Embry's pouch and crush about a hand full and add a stalk of aloe, in a bowl. Then slowly mix in the herb water making a paste thicker then glue but plenty of moisture." I instructed my hands working to clean the blood from the wound now that it had stopped bleeding.

Sam's heart beat was growing more steady and stronger. "Great Sam, your doing great. Emily take his hand. He needs to know you're here." She took his hand and started whispering to him. Jacob handed me the mixture. "Is he going to be alright?" I asked. "I don't know, I am doing everything I know." I stuck my fingers into the bowl and scooped some out. I packed it into the wound starting around the edges.

I continued to fill it in packing it tightly into the wound having Jacob make more when needed. I closed my eyes and started to chant once more. The mixture was to suck the poison out of his system, magic was like poison for a wolf. "Jacob get my phone call Carlisle here please." I said scooping out the mixture that had turned black. Sam shook his head. "Only you can come here." I swore and started to reapply the mix to take out any remaining poison. "Jake make more this time only use the mint no aloe and add in sage fresh if they have it." I said before starting to chat once more. Now sweat poured from me.

Quil and Embry joined in the hunt for the sage as Jake made more of the mix. I stopped and removed the barely blacked mix. The poison was all out. Jake handed the herb salve I asked for after they found the sage. "I need Sam to spit into it. Canine saliva has healing properties, and his will be best." Sam heart beat was strong now but fast. "Come on Sam droll from us." Emily placed the bowl by Sam's open mouth.

"Ok I need a clean needle and some heavy thread or unscented floss." Emily told Quil where to find needles and Embry disappeared presumably to get floss. The bowl was handed to me and I mixed in the rest of the sage the thicken it before packing it into the wound. "What is that for?" Jacob asked Emily now back to comforting Sam. "I need to close this up, but I can't stitch it without more skin. This will allow the wound to start closing up some. I will take it out when more of his skin grows. Then I will repeat it until I can stitch him up." I answered. Jacob sat placing his hand on my shoulder. "Is he going to be alright?" I nodded. "I got to him in time, any longer with the fool in the woods and the poison would have set in."

Embry returned with twenty things of floss and I raised my brow. "Did you knock over a dentist office?" "No, I simply bought the floss after hours at the store." He replied. I shook my head. "One would have been enough." "It is a big wound." he answered dryly. Sam growled in pain as some of his skin filled in the wound was to tightly packed. Jacob's eyes budged at the sight. I un packed the wound and refilled it. "You guys heal fast, that plus my magic is doing nicely."

I sighed and waited for more to grow back. "Could you please call my family and tell them what has happened?" I asked looking at Jacob. He nodded taking my phone leaving the room. Quil returned and started to disinfect the needles in the last pot of boiling water. This time when Sam's skin filled in he passed out from the pain. Emily was alarmed and started to shake him but I shook my head. "no this is good, it will speed things up."

I continued the long process after a while Paul and Jared returned. All five of the wolves paced the floor. Emily started to cook moving around to keep herself busy. She sent the boys to the living room to eat and sat at my side. "You must be Vander." I nodded. "I can't thank you enough…" She began but I shook my head. "No, this is my duty." "Your duty to heal a wolf?" She asked. My fingers began to remove some mix and fill it in again. "Not a wolf no. A friend yes." I replied. Tears streamed down her face. "If I could have done the same for Leah I would have..." She silenced me with a grateful hug. "I love Sam he is my everything this is more then I can ask for." I smiled dryly at her. "Well thank me when he is well if you must thank me at all."

She went to take the five some drinks and collect their plates. After which they started to doze off. Emily took Sam's sleeping hand in her own and kissed his cheek. I smiled at them, her love for him was so deep. His heart beat slowed down and was strong as I reapplied the last of the mix. I stood to make more only to find there was nothing left of what I needed.

I scrounged around finding more herbs to make the mix. The new mix took longer to grow back in but it did the job. Right as the sun was coming up I had enough to stitch Sam up. He growled him his sleep but didn't stir to much. I examined my small neat stitches and nodded. Sam's heart beat was slow, steady and strong. I moved Emil then Sam to their bed room and wrote a note giving him instructions to keep it clean and dry and most importantly not to phase until I gave the go ahead.

It would take about a week for him to fully recover so I could cut the stitches out, but he would find it worth the wait. I checked on the pack in the living room covering them up with blankets. Before leaving I kissed Jacob softly on the mouth bringing a smile to his sleeping face. I left afterward heading back to Forks to go home. It had been a long night for me, I had used a lot more practical magic in setting traps and healing then I had in a long time. It was worth it though.

I Vander Astran had for once saved a life instead of taking it. I had saved a wolf, my friend Sam Uley, alpha of the La Push pack.


	12. Wishbone

Sorry for not posting I have been working hard to get a new job, and at my new term in school. So being so tired plus writer's block delayed this one. the soup is called wishbone soup and it something I have made since a girl.

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I got back to the house. Esme and Carlisle were in their room, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett were in the living room playing cards. "Hey, is Sam alright?' Jasper asked looking up at me. I threw myself on the couch looking down at them at the floor. "He was badly wounded, but I got him well enough. It was a lot of magic I hadn't used in a long time." Rosalie laid down a card in the pile and looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"Well I have spent a long time killing, and lately no healing on others. And my magic isn't meant to help a wolf, so it was harder on lots of levels." I sighed and kicked my shoes off. Emmett played a card and looked at the others. "Ok I am just going to ask what did you do with the witch?" "I killed him pretty quick once I realized Sam was badly injured." I shrugged. "So you took a life and saved one?" Alice asked. I nodded. "I know you don't agree with killing but I will kill them all if that is what it takes." Emmett made a face. "We have killed in the past, we understand about killing to protect our family."

"Speaking of family, has anyone told Vander about the event going on this weekend?" Edward asked coming inside without Bella for once. I raised my brow and shook my head. Jasper and Emmett started to laugh. "No we haven't." Rosalie said almost ashamed. "We figured if she didn't know she wouldn't be able to refuse." Alice said making a strained face. "I don't get it what is going on?" I asked sitting up on my elbows so Edward could sit down. "Well the reason we had to clear the Bella thing is because this weekend Bella and are getting married." I started to get up but then Edward held my shoulders in place. "Nice try, not thinking about your plan. I think it is safe to say I know your reactions by now."

I sighed and shook my head. "I have nothing to wear at all." I whined. Edward grinned wickedly. "Do you honestly think Rose and Alice would let that happen?" I groaned. "Oh yeah I have the perfect dress for you, totally matches with the wedding colors but also your eyes." Rosalie grinned. "Awesome, but won't it be strange to all of your guest an extra Cullen?" "Oh we are going to say you're a cousin whose parents were tragically killed in an accident." Jasper grinned. "Everyone knows that the good doctor collects stunning children." Alice laughed. "Besides Bella said she really wants you to be there." Edward said looking down at me. "I can't walk in heels." I pleaded. "Tall enough as it is, in hills you would be a giant." Emmett said.

"Why is it then when you all want something you gang up on me?" I asked. "Because you're the baby Vander." Emmett teased me. "Then you better marry Bella, I can't be low Cullen on the pole." I looked up at Edward who laughed. "Good I'll tell her you will be there, now Jacob won't be alone." At the mention of Jacob's name my mind flashed back to his bedroom. "Ah god I did not need to see that." Edward said shuddering.

"Oh what Edward dish!" Alice said sitting up bouncing on her knees. I sat up and shook my head. "Well Jacob was really excited about getting to almost see the…" He motioned in front of my body. Jasper and Emmett fell over laughing. Rosalie looked embarrassed for me while Alice grinned devilishly. "So he got to see the girls?" She asked, this caused Emmett and Jasper to howl louder. "No!" I said indignant. Now everyone started to laugh. "Forget you guys, I am leaving." I stood up and punched Edward knocking him off the couch. "Yeah to your room." Edward said from the floor.

I stomped up to my room and laid down on the couch. "Stupid mind reading suck head." I growled. I kicked my shoes off and sighed. I took a deep breath and let it go. I closed my eyes and started to meditate. I needed to balance and focus after such a long night.

It was about noon when my phone rang. I answered it and smiled hearing Jake on the other end. "Hey Vand." "What is up Jake?" I asked. "Nothing I just woke up. Emily kicked everyone out. So Sam can't phase until his stitches come out?" "Yeah, they are fitted to one form, not both." I replied. "Oh, well Emily was so grateful, Sam was up eating breakfast, he looked good." I shrugged knowing he couldn't see it. "It was nothing." "No Vand you saved his life, we were lucky you were there." He paused and sighed. "So, how has your day been?" he asked. "Horrible, Edward informed everyone you almost got a peek last night, they tortured me relentlessly."

He laughed uncomfortably. "Yeah, that was…" "I know I am so sorry I got carried away, I should have never teased you like that." He laughed. "Ha if we weren't interrupted it wouldn't have been teasing." "Jake, watch it or no kisses for you ever again." I threatened playfully. "I will just tickle you until you do." he shot back. "Well I am totally exhausted, I did a lot of work last night with the healing…" I said leading off. I wanted to talk with him but I was drained. "Well why don't I come over and tuck you in for a change." "I would like that." I smiled. "Good because I am outside." He hung up.

Jake knocked on the door and was let in by Emmett who instantly started teasing him. He bolted up the stairs and entered my room closing the door. "Wow they are relentless." He came to the couch and picked me up and set me down on the bed. "So is Sam…" Jake pressed his mouth to mine wrapping his arms around me. "You are too much you know that?" He asked after a few minutes of kissing. "You wore yourself out and all you care about is Sam." He pressed his finger to my lips. "Rest Vander, or no more kisses for you." I smiled and buried myself in his arms, like being in a fleece blanket.

His fingers twisted in my hair while the other hand stroked my face. "Your so beautiful you know that?" he asked kissing my brow. "Jake..." He shook his head and closed my lids with his finger tips and brought me as close to him as possible. Once again something about him invited sleep to fall over me.

I woke up several hours later to Jacob's phone ringing. I looked up at him smiling as he slept our legs interlaced. I pulled the phone from his pocket and answered it. "Jake this alone time thing has got to stop. You won't believe it but Emily won't feed us, it isn't conducive to his recovery." Embry said on the other end sounding appalled. "Well it isn't, if he hears pack business it is going to tempt him to phase and rip out all that hard work I did last night." I responded laughing. "Oh…umm, hey by the way thank you for that. We owe you one…" He coughed his uneasiness coming through in his words. "Is Jake around?" He finished before stumbling over any more apologies. Jacob's stomach growled and he shifted a little. "He is asleep, I tired him out from to much sexing." I joked. I could hear everyone now privy to Embry's shouts give a mix of gagging and hoots.

"Look, don't worry Jake is about to wake up hungry, so I will just come cook for you guys." I shrugged giving a small yawn. "Really?" Embry asked, I could tell I just went up several marks in his book. "Really." This was met with several cheers form the other end. I hung up and shook Jacob softly. "Hey." He bolted up right eyes panicked before seeing me. "Oh Vand have I told you how great you are?" He smiled hugging me. "You know what are you going to do when dream Vander is way cooler then real Vander?" I asked. He shook his head. "No, not even close, but lets go feed the pack." I grinned and slipped some shoes on then changed my shirt.

I left but Jacob did not follow. I peaked my head in brow raised. "You ok there?" "You in your…" He stammered. "Bra, yes I do tend to wear one often. It's just a bra Jake come on let's go." I reached for his hand to pull him along. "But it was lacey and purple and made everything look really good." He went on. "Lavender." I said shaking my head pulling him down the stairs. "What?" He asked. "It's not purple it's lavender, my favorite color." We made our way to the garage and I flipped on the light. "Unless we are talking cars, then it is all about the racing green."

Jacob didn't fit into my car as nicely as I hoped but he fit, good enough for me. I sped off to the store while he white knuckled the whole way. Once at the grocery store I got three large but cheep soup pans and all the ingredients to make three pots full of my hearty hamburger and vegetable soup doubling up on the meat, as well as some stuff to make several loaves of bread. Jacob scrunched his nose as the price rang up but before he could unroll any crumpled bills I pulled out my newly embossed Cullen credit card. "You can thank Carlisle later." I laughed to which Jacob snickered.

I drove to Jacob's and was shocked at his pack mates pacing outside. All of them cheered as Jacob started to unload my car. I shook my head, it was almost sad. I went inside after Jacob the seven others following me like kittens following a cat. I started to make the quick dough for the bread because it would take the longest. "Your making soup… that is going to be a good appetizer." Paul jeered. Jacob shot him a warning glance. "I used to make this all the time trust me it will fill you up." I reassured starting to preheat the oven.

I divided the meat up into three pots and added a chopped onion to each. While I started browning each pot the pack leaned into Jacob's to small kitchen to smell what was cooking. Jacob rubbed my shoulders as I started adding cans of vegetables and seasonings pausing only to pop the bread in.

"Smells good." Jacob said into my ear casing me to giggle. "Thanks it is my specialty." I smiled at him. He shook his head. "No Vand you smell so good I could eat you up right here." "Oh yeah just like a big bad wolf?" I said turning in his arms. Seven voices cleared their throats and I laughed. "I better not scorch that soup." I said turning back around stirring the pot. Jake's pack mates making kissing noises at him. "So you didn't get enough of her earlier huh?" Embry teased. "You know my girlfriend doesn't have to feed your sorry selves." Jacob warned. This caused me to burst out in laughter.

An hour later the soup was ready as well as fresh warm bread. "Quick easy, and delicious." I said proudly stepping out of the way of the forming line. I sat down on the couch and sighed flipping on the fuzzy tv going for ESPN for the guys. Jacob sat down next to me half a loaves worth of bread slices buttered up and a huge old butter container for a bowl. I didn't look at him as he dipped his spoon in, I knew it was good but getting his validation would be nice.

"Oh Vander… with out a doubt the best soup ever, just like my grandmother used to make." Jacob said almost melting into the couch. After each of the pack had tried it they agreed. "Oh that is it, some one go kick Sam so she can keep cooking for us." Jared joked. I laughed and rested my head against Jacob's shoulder watching highlights from a baseball game.

Each of them kept refilling their bowls until it was gone. Jacob groaned after taking his bowl into the kitchen. "I should have stopped two bowls ago but it was so good." A few others nodded in agreement, little Collin passed out from the food. "Not bad for soup was it?" Quil shook his head. "Vander you are alright in my book, by far the best leech in town." Jacob growled but I shook my head. "Well sorry to break it but Jake's the only wolf for me. But as far as mutts go your pretty tops in my books." I laughed showing I meant no hard feelings..

The next few days were like that, me cooking for the pack trading playful insults, Jake beaming the whole way. I even saved a little to send Sam's way. The only exception would be Friday, Bella's baccalaureate night.


	13. Eat, drink, and be Merry

"Ok so there are four casseroles in the oven but an hour before you guys plan to eat turn the oven on to three fifty." I said to Jacob looking down trying to remember everything. He laughed and wrapped his warm arms around me. "You are so adorable you know that? All worried about feeding the pack." He chuckled. "Well you all made it perfectly clear your unable to do so." I defended. "Well Sam is almost completely healed so Emily will soon be reopening her kitchen, so you will be off the hook." I made a disappointed face but tried to reign it in.

"Oh don't tell me the pack has grown on you?" Jacob asked smiling. If I would have been able to blush I would have. "A little…" I admitted. "Well, you know after you spent the night healing Sam they started to trust you, after cooking for them all week they like you." My face brightened knowing the effect that had on Jacob. "It really has been nice them not thinking of you as some leech but as my mate." "Jake…" I paused and shook my head. "I can't mate, my body can't carry pups or whatever you had in mind."

"Then mate is the wrong word, you're my everything Vand." He kissed my hair and picked me up spinning me around. "I should get going the longer I take the longer I am here the more overboard Alice will go when I get home. She has a big thing for Bella's last night as an unwed women." I made a face. "Well I guess you can go. But I have a surprise for you tomorrow." I raised my brow and reluctantly leaving his open arms. I went to my car and started it leaving him in the drive way.

A endless stream of outfits and several hours later I was dressed to Alice's liking. My curls were more exaggerated making them frame my face more. My lips were heavily glossed and my large eyes were framed by my eyelashes Alice had used mascara on, they were so big they almost looked fake. All of it paled in comparison to the ultra white mini halter dress and red tartan heels. Apparently not only did my legs go on for miles but I had amazing shoulders and collar bones.

I left my room to find Bella, Alice, and Rosalie dressed the same as I was. "If we were wearing all the same thing why all the different outfits?" I asked mildly annoyed. "Well so you and Bella would be surprised." Rosalie said smiling at me. "Great." Bella laughed. She looked as awkward as I did her auburn hair bone straight.

To my surprise walking in heels was not as hard as I had remembered but then again the last time I was human. Rosalie drove us all in the silver Volvo to a club in Seattle. We got out and were once again let in, the bouncer dazed by our beauty. Instead of taking a seat I grabbed Bella's hand and lead her to the middle of the floor Alice and Rosalie in tow. I started moving my body to the music shaking my curls, Bella followed my actions.

Rosalie and Alice moved with us, everyone watching almost memorized by our beauty. After a couple songs a brave young guy moved behind me in attempt to steal me form the others. I glanced over my shoulder and let my eyes roam over him. I giggled hearing his heart beat almost double. I looked and Rosalie and Alice who smiled at me. I turned and pushed him away. "Sorry Charlie, girls only the blonde one is mine." I winked and moved back to dance with Rosalie. Alice laughed Wickedly and pulled Bella towards her and started to grind against her shamelessly After a few more songs we worked our way to a booth and sat down

Alice ordered a martini for all of us though it would only effect Bella. "That was a classic move Vander." Alice laughed. The martinis came and Bella held out a camera asking the waiter to take our picture. "Everyone say the blonde one is mine." I laughed. The picture would be a good one, we all looked amazing and had honest smiles on our faces. "So is this everything?" Bella asked taking her camera back sipping her drink.

Alice laughed and shook her head. "Not at all after this we are heading home and doing facials and mani pedis and watching movies until you fall asleep." "What no firemen or police officer striper?" I asked laughing. "No but I could have that arranged." Alice raised her brows suggestively. Bella shook her head. "What not in the mood to see Jasper or Emmett shake it in rubber boots?" I laughed evilly enough to rival Alice's chuckle. "That would be no fun, why don't you ask your little dance partner from before Vand." Alice said and I could help but laugh.

We went back to dancing after Bella had gotten a couple more drinks in her system. Now everyone was used to our presence and no one gawked or moved to dance with us. Bella held on for as long as she could before she became to wobbly on her heels to go on dancing. I took her left side and Alice on her right Rosalie following behind incase she started to sway backwards or threatened to fall. "I think Bella might be down for the count." I laughed. "Oh Vandy don't be silly. I am fine." She said slurring in my ear.

I could remember when I used to go out with Gilbert and our friends and got tipsy. I sort of missed it a little, and I felt a bit sorry to be giving Bella a taste of it so close to the end of her human days. This time Alice drove while I kept an eye on Bella, her lids heavy. Once we were home I carried her inside and upstairs putting her in the trundle bed Alice had placed in my room. I removed her shoes and then left her there to go join Rosalie and Alice. We skipped facials because we didn't really need them and concentrated on our nails.

"So you and Jacob…" Alice asked looking up at me through her lashes as she slicked red police on her toes. "Yeah, I don't know. His pack is a lot more accepting of things. It has made him happy." I said still deciding on a color. "But aren't you worried that he wants things you can't give him?" Rosalie asked to which I automatically nodded. "He said when he reaches twenty one he wants to be turned to be together forever. But he deserves better, a family. A women who can give him that." I sighed and Rosalie wrapped her arms around me careful not to smear her nail polish. "Can we just please change the subject?" I asked settling on a pearly white polish.

Rosalie started to polish my toes and nodded. "So what does my dress look like for tomorrow?" I asked. Alice shook her head. "Nope a totally surprise but good color choice." She laughed and turned on her tv and then the DVD player. "Ok so in the mood of the evening I got Wedding Crashers and Along Came Polly." She pressed play on Wedding Crashers as Rosalie finished my toes and moved to my fingers.

Rose and I were playing Guess Who while Alice laughed at our guesses, Zoolander playing on the DVD player when Bella stumbled in. "This is what I have forever to look forward to awesome." "Hey there is more to life then being really really ridiculously good looking." I laughed. We stood up and ushered Bella into the bathroom. Not only was it her day but she would take the longest to get ready. Alice turned on the shower and we left leaving her to shower off.

Alice opened her closet and unzipped four dress bags. Bella's dress was a sleeveless pearly slip with a delicate lace overcoat with a long train. Alice and Rosalie's dresses were a soft lavender with full crinkling skirts and strapless bodices. "Oh those are amazing." I smiled. "Yeah, if you had been a bit sooner we could have put you in the party.." Rosalie trailed off almost sad for me. "Nah, I am fine sitting in the stands." I smiled. "Well at least you can show the fabulous dress at the reception." Alice touched a simple strapless black dress with the same soft lavender colored polka dots and tied at the high waist.

"I love it totally low key." I smiled and Alice nodded. "I knew you would, it is so like you classic and simple. Anyways Rosalie and I are going to check and make sure things are going right in the backyard. Just help Bella do her make up when she gets out. " I nodded and they left.

When Bella got out I set her hair up in hot curlers and sat her on the toilet. "Your not going to make me…" "Look like a circus clown or whore? No." I smiled and Bella laughed. "I am a more natural type of girl." I said taking a big brush with a translucent powder on it.

Alice and Rosalie were busy overseeing things in the backyard for most of the day but Bella's mother Rene joined us. She was friendly and could stop fawning on how amazing I had made Bella look. About an hour before the wedding I went back to my room to change. I washed my face and brushed out my hair before putting on the dress.

I went down stairs and took a seat as people started to filter into the yard through the house. "You aren't supposed to be more beautiful then the bride." Jacob said in my ear kissing my cheek. I smiled and moved over. As Jacob sat down my breath was caught in my chest. He was wearing a double black tux his hair tied behind his head. "Surprise." He laughed. "I take it you like it, you rarely are breathless." I nodded and took his large hand and interlaced our fingers. "It looks amazing on you." I smiled. "When I marry you this is what I will wear then." He used his other hand to silence me as Edward and the others took their spots.

Perhaps it was that I had been so close to being married but I sort of blacked out during the vow exchange. It wasn't until Jacob gave me a gentle push that I snapped back to my body. "Come on Vand, they want to clear the chairs and set up for the reception." "Oh sure." I stood up and shook my head. Jacob wrapped me in one of his big hugs. "I know that was hard, but you will there soon enough ." I sighed and nodded my head as they took the chairs from around us.

A buffet was set up for the guest, easier for us to fake eating I suppose. I made a plate putting on pretty much whatever Jacob piled on his plate. I suppose having a boyfriend who eats food for you helps keep up appearances. I sat down next to Jacob and started to look out into the room. I could feel people looking at me wondering if I was safe to approach. Funny how "cousins" telling people your parents had recently died made them avoid you.

I pushed my food around and discreetly passed food to Jacob. "Do you want seconds Vand?" Jacob asked grinning. I shook my head. "Not a big eater." I laughed. People turned to look at me and I looked down. I was depressed, I forgot. Jacob sat down next to me quickly finishing his plate. "Oh man, this food is no where near as good as yours is." he pouted. I shook my head and kissed his cheek. "Speaking of which we want to clear the house for the newlyweds so I was wondering…" "Yeah, you don't even need to ask. Any time you want you are more then welcome." I smiled and kissed the corner of Jacob's mouth. "Thanks, and as a thank you maybe I will cook something for you… and everyone else." Jacob laughed and shook his head. "No tonight I want you all to myself, even my dad is going to be out. He and Charlie are going on a camping trip to go fishing." "Oh, so I can walk around naked then?" I joked. "Pft if my dad is stopping you from doing that now he can get the hell out of the house and live in the garage." he replied causing me to laugh out loud.

'If you two can stop making out long enough to come watch us cut cake in five minutes that would be nice.' Edward spoke into my mind. I shook my head and stood taking Jacob's hand. "Come on." We made our way toward the cake and moved to stand next to Alice and Jasper. "This is so cute." Alice said knocking into my gently. "I know." I replied. "Hmph I didn't take you for a wedding type." Jasper said. I looked down and sighed and he rubbed my shoulder. "Sorry." I shook my head and watched as Edward and bella cut their cake.

After everyone had cake Jacob taking down five pieces we went back outside where a dance floor was now in place. The d.j. put on 311's version of Love song and I smiled. It was perfect for Edward and Bella. Edward was smiling at Bella in a way I had never seen him smile. It was beautiful. When the song was over people went on the dance floor the music becoming more fun. Pop punk flooded the speakers, one of Edward's favorite genres that you could dance to.

Jacob pulled me on to the floor and I laughed. "I am a horrible dancer." I argued. "You know that isn't true." he said starting to move to the music. I gave up and started to dance with him. I ended up getting lost in the mood. I danced with Bella and Rosalie, then with Emmett for a song and Jasper for several songs. She returned back to Jacob as a slow song came on.

"Are you having a good time?" He asked softly in my ear. "I am." I nodded. "Are you?" I asked. "You are here so yes. I can't believe how lucky I am Vander. Your everything, and I get to dance with you." I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder. "Jake, I love you. You gave me back me." He stroked my hair and smiled softly into my hair. "Do you want to get out of here?" I asked looking at the now dark sky. "Yeah sure Vander."

We stopped dancing and I went to kiss Bella and hug Edward. "Jake and I are going to get out of here. So you can have the house to yourselves." Edward smiled and hugged me tighter in thanks. I left and let Jacob say good bye as I sought out my other brothers and sisters to tell them where I was going to spend the night.


	14. Touch

After I had went up and prepared an overnight bag I joined Jacob who was waiting by my car. I unlocked it and got in handing my bag to him. "So I know you are still hungry, so what do you want?" I asked looking at him instead of where I was backing up. The driveway was for the most part clear for the guest to walk up their cars parked along the edges of the lawn. "Hamburgers and fries. I love how you skin the potatoes before you deep fry them and they are perfectly crispy." He smiled. "Plus we have the stuff so no shopping."

I nodded and turned the radio on and started off to La Push. It didn't take me long to get there, I was a fast driver and it was a short distance. I parked and grabbed my bag from Jacob's lap and he kissed my cheek. "Lets go in and get changed and then we can get you cooking." We were both still in our wedding clothes.

Jacob took me in and he went to his room to change leaving me the living room. I changed quickly into a tank top and some sweat pants. I went into the kitchen and started to peel potatoes as the oil heated to fry them. "So what are the pack up to?" I asked smelling Jacob enter the kitchen. "They all eating over at Sam and Emily's. Except for Paul and Quil they are on duty. Sam is ready to have the stitches out." I turned and chewed my lip. "Well we could go over there and you could eat while I take them out." I suggested. Jacob made a sour face. "But I love watching you cook…." He whined. "Well watch me cook in the morning, those need to come out." I smiled and turned the oil off. I wrapped up the potatoes I had peeled. "I will make hash browns…" I had learned Jacob loved my hash browns. "Ok just because there will be hash browns."

We left his house and made the quick walk to Sam and Emily's house. Jacob just walked in and I followed him. "Hey it is Vander!" Embry said sweeping me into what should have been a crushing hug. "Oh and what am I dog food?" Jacob joked. "Yeah but I get to see you or talk to you whenever I want, and Vander is a lot hotter." He joked. "For a leech." I threw in chuckling. Embry and the others started howling with laugher even Emily chuckled. "Enough, I am here to see my patient." Sam stood up and nodded. "Let's go into the other room." I advised and he headed toward his and Emily's room.

"Ok Sam off with your shirt." I ordered. I inspected the wound and made a face. "I let these go longer then they should have. I am sorry Sam." I said apologetically. "I am just happy to have my life right now." He said placing his hand on my shoulder. "Sewing scissors?" I asked. He pointed to Emily's bed side table. I stood up to get them. "Besides, like I told Emily. You are my friend, I mean the whole pack. I became close to them over this past week." I opened the drew and got Emily's sewing kit. "Lay down." I ordered. Sam laid on his side and looked up at me. "You know the pack has become fond of you. Embry and Quil especially." I shook my head and carefully started to snip my old stitches.

"You know it is strange Sam. I have spent my life killing wolves . You are the first one I have ever saved. You guys the pack are as much a part of me now as the Cullens are." "I know that Vander. You have Jake, and now we have you." He winced as I released the last stitch. "Well you my friend are officially fit as a fiddle." We could hear cheering from the kitchen. "You can phase right now if you wanted, but Emily might be less then thrilled." I joked. Sam sat up and hugged me. "No Emily right now is so happy I am alive. She thinks of you as an angel that saved me." I laughed. "I might be a lot of things but I am no angel." I made a face standing up. "Try telling Jacob or Emily that."

As soon as I left the room I was ambushed by hugs. Tears were streaming down Emily's face. "Vander… thank you." She said. I gave her a tight embrace and shook my head, I had no idea what to say. It wasn't easy and it went against the programming of my youth. She let me go and I eventually made my way to a clear cabinet space hopping up so everyone could eat. "So Sam is clear for duty?" Embry asked and I nodded. "He sure is. He healed really well, Sam is a sturdy man." I shrugged. "Isn't she adorable when she is modest?" Jacob asked and I made a face. "I am not adorable… I strike fear into the hearts of my enemies." I said sternly. Jared laughed so hard he fell from his chair. "Vander you are as likely to strike fear as a kitten." Embry said howling with laughter now falling from his seat. "Now see here I am a bad ass of the highest caliber." I protested.

Emily shook her head sitting beside me holding a plate. "I don't think you can win this one, they see you as being imprinted to Jake. Not as a fighter." I laughed. "Well when I start throwing lightning bolts at the people trying to kill them they will change their minds." She smiled and patted my knees. "There is still food… do you…can you?" Emily stumbled over her words embarrassment creeping up into her cheeks. I shook my head. "Nope, I don't eat. I can if I have to and throw it up later. It sucks, I love food and cooking it." I nodded. "That is what the boys said so I didn't know." she said putting her plate down as if not going to eat in front of me. "How were you to know, it took me forever to even find out. Don't put yourself out on my account. I can go get a bite anytime." She nodded and started eating again.

I hopped down and stretched. "In fact, I am going to go eat and I will meet you back at your place when I am done?" I asked kissing Jacob on the cheek. He nodded. "Happy hunting!" Embry chimed in. I laughed and shook my head. "I will see you guys tomorrow." I left the house and automatically started running.

I distanced myself from La Push and started hunting closer to Forks. I was ravenous for some reason. There was something inside me was thirsty like I hadn't been since I first turned. I found a heard of deer six in total. None were a match for me. I killed the smallest first saving the big buck for last. He tried to fight me but deer are no match for vampires. After I killed I disposed of the bodies and then went to the stream to clean up. I am a clean eater but nothing stops a guy from wanting to kiss you like blood mouth. Worse then garlic breath.

I headed back to Jacob's house and slipped in. Jake was sprawled on the couch watching sport center. "Hey Vand, did you get enough to eat?" he asked. I nodded and went to the couch and sat on the arm. "Yeah, so do you have a shift tonight?" I asked. He shook his head and smiled at me. "No I doubled up last night to have a free couple of nights." "Oh is that so? Pretty wishful thanking." I laughed. He pulled me down on top of him and kissed my neck. "I just wanted some free time, if you want to be here for that then cool. If not… well I will force you." He laughed. "You can try." I playfully taunted. He smiled at me and brushed my hair out of my face. "You are amazing. You know Emily is very grateful to you." I placed my finger on his lips. "I get it the pack loves me Emily thinks I am amazing. You guys will get used to me I promise." A grin broke out under my finger. "I am glad you will be here for us to get used to." He replied kissing my finger.

"Jacob. I don't think I could leave now. I have so much vested here. Even when I was alive I never belonged with my family like I belong here. Gilbert was all I had. Now I have you." He looked up at me his eyes welling up with emotion. He kissed me softly opening his mouth to be let in mine. I kissed him back aggressively my hair creating a wall separating us from the rest of the world. His hand roaming up my back caressing my bare shoulders.

Jacob pulled away and took a deep breath. He grinned up at me. "What is it?" I asked rubbing my nose against his. "It is just." He moved his right hand and licked his thumb. "You have mud…" He rubbed his moist thumb against my cheek. I made a face and laughed. "Sorry." I apologized. "No I just never imagined you a messy eater." He laughed back. "I'm not!" I protested. "Then the mud is from?" He asked. "Well I didn't want to.. After I had." I brought my hand up and made a claw swiping through the air. "Rawr. It kind of ruins things…" I said scrunching my nose. He laughed. "What?" I asked sitting up crossing my arms. "It's nothing, just that is so cute. I like it though, like you not wanting to kiss morning breath." I laughed and he pulled me back down on top of him.

"You are to cute when you think your being made fun of you know that?" He asked and I sighed. "Why is everything I do cute?" I asked pinching his side. "Gilbert used to say the same thing, and I find nothing about myself cute." Gilbert sighed and cradled my face in his hands. "The thing of it is you don't see yourself as cute. I mean your like a kitten with a ball of string, adorable but you think you are a bad ass." I opened my mouth in shock. "I am a bad ass!" I said. "This is true, you throw elements and summon weather. You are a battle horse, but even though I know that it doesn't register to me." "Jake…" He cover my lips with his index finger. "No, nothing can change that. Like that night in the clearing I had to protect you. No matter what Vander you're my everything." I smiled and took a deep breath. "So that is what that was, your will to protect my was stronger then my will to protect everyone." I nipped his finger. "Let's watch a movie." I suggested.

"Alright, let me run to Sam's I think he has stuff." Jacob said nervously looking at the pile of DVDs. "Why there are movie right there." I pointed. "Yeah but Emily has you know girl movies." I laughed. "Not a girl movie type of girl." I grimaced. "Oh what type of girl are you?" He asked. I sat up and got off of him. "A drama, mystery type of girl." I started going through his DVDs. "I love comedies." I added. I picked up the Departed and raised my brow. "You have the Departed. I wanted to see that so bad." I whined a little. "Yeah just borrowed that from Quil. He says it is good. Let's watch it." I smiled and popped it in the player and turned on the television. Jacob went to the kitchen to get a drink for himself and sat down on the couch.

I smiled and sat next to him stretching my legs out beside me on the couch. His arm went around me and I felt my body leaning against his. "Is this ok? I am not to heavy am I?" I asked looking at him. He shook his head and pressed play. "You are light as a feather." He smiled and his thumb started to rub small circles on my stomach. Jacob and I kept cracking jokes about the bad accents and repeating memorable lines. Halfway though the movie I laid down putting my head on his thigh while he played with my hair. I could feel him watching me watch the movie at times. But when I would look up at him he would train his gaze on the screen.

When the movie was over I looked up at him and smiled. "That was a great movie." He nodded in agreement. It was good but just having fun like I had when I was alive far outweighed the movie itself. "Are you sleepy?" I asked? Looking up at him. He shook his head. "Good." I sat up and turned to face him. "Because when you were pretending to not watch me you were irresistible." I smiled looking down and then up at him through my lashes. He leaned forward and kissed my lips tenderly. I smiled against his lips and returned his soft kisses but instead I moved down his jaw line and started to kiss the spot above his pulse. It thrilled me as his heart beat faster, I wasn't tempted to drink from him. My thirst were entirely different. I paused briefly to pull his shirt over his head and started to sprinkle his shoulder and neck with kisses but taking special care over his pulse.

After a while he tenderly moved his hand under my tank top and let it rest on my bare stomach. I couldn't hold in a satisfied groan as I felt my body start to hum in time with his pulse. He slowly moved his hand up and under my bra and his heart beat tripled when I didn't remove it. "Vander?" He asked in a small voice. "Jake, I won't force you. If your uncomfortable…" I started and he pressed his mouth to mine and ripped my shirt off of my body and then my bra.

Jacob took me into his room and laid me down and removed my pants and then his own. "Are you sure?" I asked my hands on his broad chest. "Are you?" He asked as he nodded. I nodded up at him and closed my eyes as Jacob interlaced our fingers together before he entered.


	15. Blast from the Past

I woke up, Jacob beside me our legs twisted in his bed sheets. He looked so peaceful sleeping like that, like he was in heaven. I carefully slipped from bed and paused as he shuffled a little as if missing my form besides his. I smiled and pulled on one of his hoodies and my pants from the night before.

I went into the kitchen I started to peel more potatoes from what I had from last night. I had about eight peeled and started to grate them my hands working quickly. I got out two frying pans and the eggs and bacon. I put oil in the pan and started to cook the hash browns in one pan bacon in the other. My hands worked independently of one another quickly. Quil came in Jacob's back door and smiled at me. "Oh your making breakfast great I was on call all night last night." I took some hash browns out of the skillet as well as some bacon onto a plate. I put the rest of potatoes in and some more bacon.

"Q…" I sighed. How did you tell one of your friends politely to get out? "Yeah Vand?" "How come your not at Emily's?" I asked trying to hint. "Because Emily molested Sam last night now that he is better." Embry said coming in Paul and Jared trailing him. I groaned, there was no way I could kick them all out. I heard Jacob groan form the other room and pull himself out of the bed to get in the shower. "I don't really have enough for everyone." I tried to reason. "Oh we can eat this and then you can make some other stuff." Embry smiled. "Yeah we don't mind we can wait." Paul added taking a piece of bacon form the plate.

Jacob came into the kitchen his hair wet wearing gym sorts. "Guys get out." Jacob said flatly. "Funny Jake." Paul laughed. "You know it smells really musty in here, your Dad should clean up. It smells like…" Quil said then stopped looking at me then to my tussled hair. "Oh Jake!" He grinned at Jake the others wearing wolfish smiles of their own. I looked down embarrassed that everyone knew. "GET OUT!" Jacob howled. "But Jake what about breakfast?" Paul asked. "Then take your ass to Denny's" He growled. The pack stood up and literally ran from the room.

Jacob wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck as I turned my hash brown pan off and removed the cooked potatoes and bacon. "Over easy?" I asked. He nodded. "Sorry about them…" He said lowly in my ear. "No I just you know, I mean is Jasper or Emmett going to be any different? Because Edward can't keep his mouth shut." He smiled and nuzzled my hair as I cracked four eggs in the pan not busting the yolks. "Well are you ashamed of it?" He asked. I shook my head. "No but I don't want it widely known." I said. "Love everyone knows Bella and Edward had sex." "They were expected to." I countered. He sighed and nipped my neck. "I will go to the store and get the paper while you finish up. I know you like to read it." I smiled as he slipped away and threw on a shirt. I finished making the eggs and got the carton of orange juice out and poured Jacob a glass. I set the glass and carton on the table before making him a plated piled high and then put the rest of the hash browns and bacon on the table as well.

Jacob returned a Seattle Times in hand. "Here Babe." He kissed my cheek and ran his finger through my tangled hair. "How much…" Jacob shot me a glare and sat down draining his juice pouring another. "Less then a dollar for one. Don't even think about giving me a dollar after fixing me this feast for another." I shook my head and unfolded the paper and blinked at the headline. 'Serial Murders in Seattle.'

'Early this morning police recovered the body of twenty three year old Sarah Hartung, her body badly mutilated and drained completely of blood. This killing is the seventh in a string of murders spanning over the last month. The mutilations and blood drained from all of the prior victim's lead the police to believe that the killers are the work of a satanic cult though each killing seemingly is carried out by one individual, but more then one killer may be involved.

All seven of the victims were attractive young ladies falling between the ages of twenty one and twenty five. While they were all last seen in clubs and bars no two victim's were from the same bar or club. The age group seems to be the only common link between victims: Brandi Webb (22), Nicole Pike (25), Robin Gann (21), Peggy Sue Marrow (23), Michelle Miller (24), Samantha Gorman (21), and Sarah Hartung (23), police are searching for any other common tie.

Each victim was found her clothing removed…'

"Vander!" I looked up Jacob's voice breaking my concentration on the article. There was a vampire loose in Seattle and I had missed the signs being caught up in my new life. "Vander what's the matter I have been talking to you for a while and you were just spaced out. Is something wrong?" He asked concern marring his handsome face. "No how is your breakfast?" I asked folding the paper. "It is awesome like always." He said still not convinced. "Well I am going to head home and uh clean up." I said nodding. "Vand just do it here I don't mind. Maybe I could join you, get your back." He grinned trying to lighten the mood. "No Jake I really got to go." I said standing tucking the paper under my arm. "Vand I don't get it what did I do?" Jacob asked standing. "Nothing." I replied quickly. Jacob's face looked hurt. "Is this because we?" I shook my head. "No Jacob, that was a choice we made together but I have to go just I'll call you later ok?" I left the kitchen moving much quicker then Jacob was able to move and got into my car.

I drove home quicker then normal knowing Charlie was out of town with Billy. I parked in the driveway and took some dirt and smeared a mind blocking rune on my arm before going inside. Edward was chasing Bella around the couch both naked. "VANDER!" Bella cried from shock trying to hide herself. "I don't even want to know." I said shielding the left side of my face. I ran up the stairs catching Edward's bewildered face at not hearing my thoughts.

I tore my closet open and pulled out my trunk that contained my magic kit. I grinned noticing that Alice had replaced my herbs and supplies from the top two shelves with fresh ones but left the third one containing my books untouched. I removed the book I needed. I was going to erase my magic and vampiric scent and replace it with a human one a potion that would remove my magic from me for a short while as well as enable her to slip under his radar. A huge risk but with precise timing and quick workings I could do it. I had removed several herbs and begun to crush them, I had made it so many times I barely needed the book as a reference. Bella opened my door as I added a pinch more of mint. "Vander what is wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing Bella, go have sex with Edward I am busy…" I snapped. Her face falling confused with my short attitude. "Edward couldn't hear…" I cut her off. "Because I didn't want him to now get out before I make you leave." I threatened. I was angry that I had let this slip by me and she was wrecking my concentration. She left probably to find Edward and tell him I had snapped and was going crazy. I blew the door shut and held it with high pressure air.

A few moments the door rattled. "Vander open up, the door is stuck." "Because I stuck it now go fuck your wife Edward, or turn her or whatever you are planning on." I said rising to get water from my sink into my craft bowl. As soon as the water hit it the water began to warm from the markings I had carved on it. "Vander I a worried about you. Bella says you have gone crazy and I am getting nothing from you." He said still trying to get inside. I reinforced the door and went back to sit where I had mixed my herbs. I had enough for a weeks worth of hunting. After that I would have to make new. The water was heating up slowly to bowling. "I know Edward I can do that with a few smudges of dirt. Stop trying to get in I am fine." I yelled. I retrieved a second book and opened it to a page, a trick I hadn't used in a long time. I spell to make my heart beat.

The volume was filed with my efforts to restore my humanity after I had turned. Everything from a beating heart to appearing older. Nothing had worked but they had proved useful. "Vander open the door please!" Edward begged. "I need some alone time ok?" "Please we are just worried about you." Bella pleased. It shocked me that Edward would let her be so near if he was worried that I had broken. "Look I just need some space. Jake…" I paused not wanting to bring him into this. "What about him did he hurt you?" Edward asked growling and Bella sounding shocked. "No we just we had sex and I need a little reflection time." "Alright…" Edward said leaving the door. I sighed in relief and looked at my bowl.

It was hot enough to fill the vials. I filled a vial three fourths full and then carefully added the right amount of herb mix and then brought it to room temperature by cooling my hand. The potion turned a muddy brown when it was just right and I set it down. I repeated the process making seven identical bottles. Now that was done they needed to steep in a dark place so I placed them under a cloth for that purpose. I then turned my attention to restarting my heart, a by far more complex potion.

While I waited for the thick mix I had made to sit I made a third potion. A potion to take away the pains of a young vampire. Something I had made in my early days that had effectively stopped the pain of my transformation after the first few agonizing days. It was an apology to Bella and Edward. After I added a bit more of the water and let it soak into the mix I went to my closet.

This killer liked club girls, so my appearance was important. I picked the shortest skirt I owned that barely covered my butt. I picked a top that showed my stomach and barely covered my breast. I picked out some knee high stiletto shoes perfect for hiding a couple of things. I checked the choice and then went back to check the potion. I mixed in more water so it was watery and charged it with the small electrical beat I would need.

I went and took a shower singing a song to keep Edward out. I redrew the rune on my upper stomach to hide it and then did my makeup and hair. I went out and put on my clothes putting a few knives in my boots in case my powers didn't come back to me when I needed them. I took all of the potions I had made for Bella and scribbled a little note for them about what it was for and how to use it. I left it outside Edward's door. It was quite inside but I could hear him trying to silently scramble to put his clothes on to catch me.

I returned to my room and grabbed one of each of my potions and left via my window and jumped into my car checking my purse. I had plenty of money and my cell phone. Jacob had called me eleven times and left voice mails. I turned my car on and backed out of the driveway Edward looking at me from his window his phone pressed to my ear. My phone began to ring and I silenced it lifting my shirt and drawing a rune to block Alice's sight.

I set off toward Seattle at top pace. I was careful to not go to any of the clubs I had visited with my family and where the other girls had been taken from really leaving two possibilities. I picked the closer of the two and drove there. In the parking lot I drank the heart beat potion and then the power robbing one. I waited until I felt the strange thump in my chest now so alien to me and until I could not light my finger tips with sparks.

I got out and walked into the bar. The vampire scent hit my nose immediately. I found the scent, a tall dark man with obviously fake green eyes and shinning black hair. He might not be the right one but he exuded danger. I went to the bar and smiled at the bar tender. "Can I have a Cosmo?" I asked sweetly. The bartender nodded and made the drink his eyes roaming over me. Just because I smelled human didn't mean I still wasn't hauntingly beautiful. I would be irresistible to him. I took out a hundred to pay for a ten dollar drink. "Thanks. See that guy in the VIP booth? If he wants to buy me a drink don't let him." His face fell at the mention of other man but soon rose again at my request. "Unless he tips you better then I just did." I finished. He sighed disappointed again. I had laid the trap well, all men wanted what they couldn't have doubly so for vampires because nothing was out of their reach.

I took my drink and turned on my stool eyes all the men in the room. I held a disgusted look on my face but when my eye caught him I changed it to a look of indifference. I finished my drink and sweep of the room and got off of my barstool to hit the dance floor. I moved my body bouncing my breast and moving my hips suggestively. Every time I moved away from someone trying to dance with me I cast him a glance. All the while ignoring my vibrating cell phone.

I caught him moving from his seat making his way through the crowd. He went to the bar and talked to the bar tender and after a while he paid for a drink then returned to his booth. I danced a few more songs before returning to the bar. The bar tender gave me a Cosmo. "From the gentlemen." He nodded toward the booth. I looked over and raised my glass but turned back to the bar tender. I could feel his eyes burning into my back. He was hooked. I quickly finished the drink and went to the dance floor again.

It was half a song before he was behind me dancing. I moved away but he wrapped his arm around my waist and purred. "I am Gabe. That was an expensive drink. One dance at least." I looked back at him over my shoulder. "Ok one." I smiled coyly. I however danced into him hard my false heart beat racing. I felt pangs of guilt as he ran his fingers over my hips. When the song ended I went to move away but once again he stopped me. "I have been watching you. You aren't interested in anyone in here but me. Don't try to hide it." He paused and kissed my neck. I shuddered in revulsion but he took it as pleasure. "Besides you are far to sexy to go home alone or with anyone else." I smiled at him dreamily as he would expect and started to dance on him again.

After a few more dances we went back to the booth and I draped my legs over his and he ran his fingers over the curves of my calves. My phone ringing non stop now. I ignored it and let him kiss my neck willing my heart to pound faster becoming more and more irresistible to him. I looked down pretending to be enjoying it when I saw trouble walk in the door. Jacob and Jasper. Gabe's attention rose to the vampire and wolf scent not able to pinpoint it. Jacob started scanning the club a confused look on his face my scent escaping him. Jasper went to the bar and talked to the bar tender. "Have you seen a girl in here tonight? Crazy beautiful, gray eyes and shoulder length brown curly hair long legs?" He asked and the bar tender pointed to us. The vampire looked up at the description of me from but I grabbed his face and started to kiss him.

Jacob came over and pulled me off of Gabe with ease. "What are you doing?" he asked his eyes lit up. Jasper dropped back into the crowd to chat with another girl to act like he was hunting. I tried to push against him but holding severely back. "I am having a good time. I thought I made myself clear. I don't want anything to do with you." Hurt well up with his eyes and he grabbed my wrist, his eyes widening at the pulse there. "You can't mean that." he said in a small voice. "I do, I mean look at you and look at him. I am just elevating my company." I said harshly. He dropped my wrist and balled his fist. Gabe stepped forward and pushed him. "Look you might want her but she doesn't want you. You even smell like a dog." He said throwing in the little dig memorizing Jacob's face for later.

Gabe placed his hand on my butt and grinned at Jacob. "Come on Cila let's get out of here." He said. "Cila…" Jacob said his eyes narrowing. "Just leave my alone Gilbert." I said shaking my head sending him a message but acting as if I was disgusted. Gabe nodded to Jasper who nodded back as we left. He took me to a Lexus. "I have a suite at the Hilton." He said biting his lip. "Cool." I smiled at him. He went around and got in. I pretended not to notice as he drove towards the outskirts talking about how nice his car was despite that my car would kill his in a race.

He parked and smiled over at me. "I thought we were going to the Hilton." I whined. "We are but I wanted to show you the stars first." He smiled. "Well ok but only if you protect me." I said rubbing my hand on his thigh. I got out and he followed after me. "Wow the stars are beautiful." I smiled looking up thinking of Jacob. "You are far more beautiful." he said kissing my neck. I smiled and looked down trying to spark my finger. "You don't have to be embarrassed no one is here." He whispered in my ear. I could smell the venom welling in his mouth. I had to act.

I grabbed his arm and twisted my body throwing him from me. "Cila what are you doing?" "Didn't I tell you I like it rough." I said quickly taking out a knife from my boot. "Oh little girl you will need more then that to get to me." He smiled showing his fangs. "Oh trust me I know." I said still trying to summon my power from within. He charged at me but I dodged him with ease. Bewildered he turned at me. He knew I shouldn't be this fast. My heart was thundering on my chest as I dodged another strike throwing him by his shirt this time.

My heart beat started to fade and I could feel a faint spark igniting inside me. "Opps my makeup is running." I smiled reveling my fangs. He hissed and lunged for me. I sidestepped and turned Jacob and Jasper's scent filling my nose. It was the opening he needed. He was on top of me turning my knife from my hand and putting it to my throat. In a flash a russet blur knocked Gabe off of me and I could but help but smile. I stood and lit my hands up with lightning. As Jacob circled Gabe he looked at me shocked. "I am an upgrade." I smiled wickedly.

"He is a wolf our natural enemy." Gabe said motioning at Jacob. "Not mine." I said moving toward him protectively. Jacob growled as if warning me to keep back. I nodded but didn't back off, if he needed help I would provide it. Jacob lunged at him his jaw open ready to rip Gabe's throat out. Gabe took a sever wound to his face and throat before throwing Jacob off of him hard. Jacob whined as he hit the ground, my knife sticking in his side. My hands blazed brighter my eyes hurting from the light. Gabe winced and hid his face from my light.

"Oh you don't like this? Well I don't like you sticking my boyfriend." I said discharging my left hand into his chest. He reeled back head over heels flying past Jacob. He started to crawl backward as I advanced toward him my hand blazing once more. "I am Vander Astran, and I have let you kill for far to long." I said softly sending one blast at him then another. Jasper appeared pulling the knife from Jacob who promptly started to heal.

"Please… I was only doing what it is in my nature to do. Like you." I smiled. "You know my nature is to kill you, not exactly helping your case right now." he backed up crawling on the ground trying to stand. I sent him a powerful blast and then changed my element to fire.

He lunged at me in a last ditch effort. I only smiled and grabbed his shirt. Sending my fire onto his outfit holding him securely. Jasper and Jacob jumped back as Gabe screamed in pain. "Being murdered slowly hurts doesn't it. Now you know how those girls felt." He swiped at me as if trying to spread the fire but I grinned. "Right as if my own fire would burn me cute." I said burning the flames higher now.

After a few minutes he stopped struggling and Gabe was no more. I let him fall to burn out and I went to Jacob. He phased back in the grass covering himself. "Jake what are you doing here?" I asked tucking some of his hair behind his ear the knife wound healed now. "Well Edward called me worried about you and I was worried about you and Alice couldn't get anything form you." He said tears streaming down his face.

"Jake before in the club I was just… I didn't mean it." I said taking his face in my hands. "You were just being irresponsible Vander." Jasper said angrily. "You hunted a murderer on your own powerless." "I still had my vampire abilities just didn't smell like one." I defended. "We do things as a family." He countered. "I didn't need you guys and he needed stopped what is so wrong about that?" I asked. "You could have been hurt." Jacob said in a quite voice. "I was in the zone before you guys showed up. How did you even find me?" I asked looking at Jasper.

"We tracked your scent to the club then it disappeared. Edward searched your room after you left and found your books so we figured out your plan after seeing the paper." Jacob explained. "I thought you hated me after you left this morning." "No I just had a job to do." I sighed and stood up. "Look lets just get back to the club and get my car. Jake do you have clothes?" He shook his head and I sighed. "See where phasing spontaneously gets you?" I ruffled his hair.

"Vander, we aren't done here." Jasper said in a stern voice. "Carlisle said I could do my work if I stayed, this is my work. You don't have a right to stop me." I didn't think it was possible but Jasper went more white then normal. "You are right, I just thought you cared for us more." He turned and briskly left. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes.

Jacob embraced me tightly. "Vander, don't ever do that again. You really scared us. You scared me." I buried my face into his shoulder. "This is a part of who I am. I can't stop hunting anymore then you can stop phasing." "Vand you don't have to do this alone." He said. Gabe's body now burned completely up scattering in the wind. "Are you going to stalk off now to?" I asked pulling away from him. "No I don't think you should be alone." he said running his fingers through my hair. "Well phase and run back to your house and I will beat you back there." I smiled at him. "Oh you're on!" He laughed and stood phasing. I smiled and kissed his wolfen head before he set off. I went and climbed into Gabe's car. I would drive it back and leave it there. It was probably stolen anyway.

I set back driving quickly. I parked his car and then retrieved my own. I started to drive back to La Push and pressed my phone to my ear. I was watching the woodsy scenery pass as Jacob's concerned voice played back for the first ten or so voice mails. Something flashed in front of me and before I knew what was happening the car flipped end over end the glass shattering. I could smell burning plastic and the familiar long lost scent of my brother and sister. "Hey Sisto, looks like you had an accident." Michael bent down and stuffed something into my mouth. It tasted heavily of red wort and thyme. "Sweet dreams Sisto." Stephanie giggled as I felt my magic draining and my eyes rolled into the back of my head.


	16. Reboot

I felt warm fingers pry something out of my mouth. My eyes slipped open and I groaned. My hands were pined behind my back and I couldn't stand. "I wouldn't try Vand, you will just hurt yourself." Stephanie said in a sing song voice. My eyes found the two of them sitting across the way in the dark. I tried to summon lightning to my hands but failed producing as much shock as static cling does. Stephanie giggled and wiggled her eyebrows at me. "You aren't the only one with power robbing potions." Michael laughed and tossed something up and caught it. My phone.

"Luckily for us you had that rune on your stomach. Made this little chore a lot easier. You little friend's started calling again about an hour ago. Include Esme and Carlisle. I don't think we met them the other night." Michael said snidely. "Shut your mouth before I break it." I said darkly, I could feel my face contorted in anger. "That would be a little hard to do considering your position." Stephanie said coming to me slamming the back of her hand into my face. The blow wasn't even enough to phase me and I smiled up at her. She screamed in fury and Michael rushed to her side. "Calm down Steph, she will get hers." "Not likely." I smiled.

My phone began to vibrate in Michael's hand. "Oh Jacob's calling, isn't that your flea bitten lover?" He asked grinning. He snapped the phone open Jacob's concerned voice filling the room as he turned the speaker phone on. "Vander, your car. Are you alright? Jasper found it wrecked on the way to Forks." I could hear him close to breaking in concern fore me. "I am sorry flea face but Vandy is a bit, indisposed right now." Stephanie giggled. "Where is she what have you done to her?" He asked, he had shifted gear, his voice now dark and dangerous. "Well we wrecked that toy of hers, and she is wrapped up with a little magical bow. Though she isn't looking to good right now." Michael said walking to my kicking me in the side. Still didn't phase me, I was way stronger then they would ever be. "Don't you dare touch her." Jacob screamed.

"Oh it is to late for that. Vand do you know what this is?" Michael asked holding a blade in front of me. It was magiced to cut even vampire flesh. I said nothing, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of it. He pressed the blade to my throat. "Tell him what it is Vand or I'll end this now." He pressed harder he meant business. "A knife that cut even a vampire." I said looking down at his hand. If only I could see what was retraining me I could break it. "Very good Sisto." Stephanie said taking it from him and stabbing it into my side.

Nothing, I gave them nothing their faces twisted in anger. "Jacob, you should teach your girlfriend to take torture. We stick her and not even a peep." Jacob roared. "Vander I will find you. I promise." He siad his tone softer now speaking to me and only me. His words filled me with strength, that he would find me. "Oh try it, we had her magic scent covered and she isn't traceable by that little black haired suck head." Michael side, Stephanie stabbing me again this time slicing through my bicep. I cringed but said nothing.

"Oh that is better Vander. You know you bleed a pretty color." Stephanie said pressing the wound bleeding it more. Jacob roared and Michael snapped the phone shut. "You know I hope he does come, as impossible as it would be." Michael smiled down at me. "Oh tell her why tell her it will help pass the time." Stephanie said jumping up and down like a tween at a Hannah Montana concert.

"Well it would be ever so fun to kill him to before we finish you off. You see our little coven is brewing a potion to give your powers to us. But that takes time and sadly you have to be alive." He paused grinning but Stephanie was frustrated. "Fine I'll tell it then if your going to take forever. Remember how Alex set that nasty little vampire on your happy home? Such a funny story, I know right? Well the really funny part is that it was us, but we let him take the credit. We didn't want our bitch of a sister coming down on us before we were ready. I mean we thought you would die, leaving us the Astran name. But you had to ruin that didn't you?" She sliced my face starting on the left side at my jaw and going upwards to my right temple. My side had already healed and my arm was starting to. "Oh Steph look she heals. This is going to be way more fun then we thought. A toy that won't break is to fun." He laughed evilly and took the stabbed me in my left breast. "Funny I thought even you had a heart, I guess I was wrong." he twisted it until I grimaced. "Oh we can get you to do better then that." He said brining out a second knife for Stephanie.

Jacob's mind spun with worry. Her freaky brother and sister had Vander. His heart was being tortured while he was setting the house up for a romantic night. He called Jasper back, his number in his last incoming call. "Jasper, they have her. They have Vander." Jasper swore and kicked something. "It looks like they blasted her car and took her from the wreckage." He was still on the road looking at her ruined car. "I am come there I am going to find her. They have this knife that can cut her." He hung up the phone and took his pack with clothes and phased exploding form the house. Sam's wolf form waited for him the only one not banned from hearing Vander related thoughts. 'The rest are on their way meeting us there.' He told Sam as they started to run. 'Why?' Jacob asked as they ran along the woods by the road. 'Vander is one of us. They might as well taken you Jake' Sam replied. Jacob knew that it was personal for them as it was for him in Sam's words. Vander was part of the pack.

Jacob was aware of the rest of the pack as they ran his legs carrying him fast and hard. They arrived Vander's beautiful car in pieces on the road. All of the Cullens there surrounding the wreckage. Bella was there a new vampire alert taking in everything. The pack phased into their human forms and came forward. "Bella I thought newborns…" Jacob began. "Oh they are, but Vander gave her something. She is completely stable and pain free. Remarkable." Carlisle said his interested piqued at the development.

"Well as you can smell the sterilized the area. There is nothing." Carlisle said his face falling now as if he had no hope. "No, we will find her. We have to find Vander." Sam said fiercely. "Well if there is nothing we can do.." Bella said her newly beautiful face fallen in sadness. "Stop it. Vander is my heart, we aren't letting her go that easy." Jacob roared. "Jake calm down." Sam said in unison with Carlisle. Jacob started pacing back and forth. "Ok lets spread out, her scent might be washed away, but you can't drag a body and not leave some trail." Emmett said his normal playful expressed changed into all business.

"Right lets spread out and look for any traced teams of two in case they left any traps." Carlisle suggested. They paired off a vampire with a wolf. Bella and Jacob paired up combing the woods. "Jake…I am sorry." She said Bella knew what it was like to lose the love of your life. "Don't be sorry, we are going to find her." Jacob sighed. The found nothing after thirty minutes of searching They met back up by the crash and moved it off the road. In the process Carlisle phone rang. He pulled it out. "It's Vander!" He cried he pulled it out and answered it. There was nothing for a few seconds then an ear splitting scream filled all of their hyper sensitive ears. "Oh come on Vander, how bad can being gutted hurt?" her sadistic sister asked laughter filled her voice. "Jacob wouldn't answer his phone, would you pass that along to him?" Michael asked before hanging up.

Jacob paced her screams twisted him on the inside. They were hurting his Vander. They could kill her. The idea of losing her made everything seem far away from him like he was no longer in his body. Bella shook him even Sam's command could not break his trance. He could hear Alice far away taking quickly on her phone. How could she be on the phone at a time like this.

"Sam we found Vander." Edward told him snapping him out of his trance. Jacob's whole body was on edge now. "What, how?" he asked. "Her phone they kept it to brag. We called the company and they gave us the location on it." Alice beamed a product of her work. "Where is she?' Jacob asked his body poised to phase. "They are about two hours of running away." Jacob searched Sam's thoughts finding the location he had overheard form Alice's phone. He phased and was off running harder then had had ever ran before.

The others were after him in an instant all of them training on the spot where Vander was held. Jacob ran with a fire he never knew he had, it was like she was pulling him to her in need. Just hold on a little longer Vander, Jacob thought pushing himself harder. To his surprise the grueling pace he had set was being matched by every single member of the pack present and the Cullen family.

My body had just healed from being cut sternum to belly. Stephanie was about to cut me open again when one of the witches from the clearing popped in. "It's ready, just has to sit for a bit longer." he informed them. Stephanie smiled at Michael who nodded. "Ok well can you guys all come in here there is something we need to talk about." The three of them filtered in and stood uneasy. "Well for this little project to work we need Vander alive." Stephanie sighed and motioned at me. "The problem is our dear sister isn't alive. We have a little theory how to remedy that." Michael said grinning. He came to me and pried my mouth open and stuck a long tube into it the other end attached to a funnel. "Hold her please?" Stephanie asked. Two of them came to hold the tube in place and to keep me from struggling.

Stephanie took the third by the arm and brought her over to watch. Michael stepped behind them and slit the woman's throat. Stephanie lowered the funnel to catch her blood. They were feeding me human blood. I tried to spit the tube out but it was held firmly in my mouth, I tried to struggle but for once my super human strength was failing me. Then I felt it, almost like my magic returning, a small spark deep within my breast. Thump, thump, thump the sound of my heart beating a very real beat. I felt my body utterly collapse as my body's dead tissue began to reanimate. The glitch had been fixed, I was human.

Stephanie kicked me hard pain exploding from my temple. "There is the Vander we all know." Michael ripped the tube from my mouth and wiped it clean of blood. "Now we wait as soon as that potion is ready in the morning your powers are ours. Then we will finish you Vand." He smiled and yanked me to my feet by my hair. "To bad we don't get to play with that knife anymore, but that would kill you how you are now." He threw me down back to the ground hard and turned back to the remaining two witches. "we are done with you now."

He and Stephanie raised their hands and stuck them both death with lightning bolts. They turned back to me and grinned. "This way dear sister we will take your powers, claim you killed this coven, and then we killed you balancing the scales out. Win-win situation." Michael said as if it was the simplest task in the world.

Stephanie giggled and went to Michael and kissed the corner of his mouth. He responded by deepening the kiss. The site of my formal siblings making out rose the long dormant bile in my stomach. I wretched stomach acid coming from my mouth. "Oh you think that is sick?" Michael asked. Stephanie parted from him. "Do it Mike make her do it." she came to me and held my head up by my hair.

Michael advanced on me unbuttoning his pants. I tried to fight but I was weak form the transformation and the physical sickness I felt. I turned my head away but was forced to look forward. Then the most beautiful thing I had ever saw flashed in front of my eyes. A russet blur knocking him over. Jacob had ripped his throat out before Stephanie even knew what was going on. Emmett and Edward forced Jasper out of the room. The scent of human blood was everywhere and I was the only human.

Sam pounced on Stephanie snapping her neck in his powerful jaws. Carlisle and Esme rushed to me. All were aware of my condition. They untied me and I collapsed on the floor Carlisle checking my pulse. "She is weak." He said looking down at me his eyes whirling over my face softened by my human state. Jacob in his human form came to me, his body blazing in an inferno.

He tried to cover my body with my tore and bloody clothes. He looked around and took the shirt Edward surrendered. He slipped it on me and gathered me up in his arms. "Jake there is something wrong, my eyes won't focus." Everything had lost it's sharp focus to it. It was like everything was less to me now, I couldn't smell him like before or see him like before. "It's ok Vand." he said stroking my face.

"We should get her back to the house." Bella said her voice deep with sorrow. I shook my head. "Your honeymoon." I said trying to push myself out of Jacob's arms. "Vander don't be ridiculous." Edward said as I struggled to free myself from Jacob's arms. "You are to weak. Esme said her hand on my face. "Don't hurt yourself." I swallowed hard. I was weak a nothing now. "You aren't a nothing Vand you're a powerful witch. Your just human that's all." Edward said looking away from me.

I could see it in all of their faces, I was nothing to them now. "All of you just get out of here!" I screamed trying to stand. Jacob stood completely sweeping me to of any attempt to stand. My stomach rumbled and my throat was dry and I had been tortured for hours. All of that with Jacob's warm body pressed against me forced me to sleep.


	17. Square One

Hey sorry this chapter took so long, school and work bogged me down and I couldn't really like anything I wrote.

SPLASH! I was suddenly awake, and I wasn't very happy about it either. I bolted upright, the illumination from my hands hurting my eyes. "Vand calm down. You would think I just dropped you in a huge tub filled with water." Emmett laughed. I let my energy flow back into my body and gave him the one fingered salute. I was sitting chest deep in a huge tub I knew to be my own but it was wrong. Everything was wrong. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate.

The problem was I couldn't concentrate. My whole body hurt, with a capital H. My head was pounding, my stomach was gurgling, my mouth dry. I opened my eyes and my mouth to speak but my voice was lost. "It's alright don't push yourself, your body is recovering from shock." Carlisle advised. I looked at the water it was a dirty color. Blood and dirt flaked on my shoulders. I dunked my self fully into the water to let it soak off.

After a mere few seconds my lungs began to scream for air. That wasn't right. I didn't technically need to breathe. I started to thrash my body thinking it was drowning. I tried to be rational vampires don't drown I tried to yell at my body but it wouldn't listen. Strong hands pulled my head out of the water. "Vander stop, you are ok I won't let anything happen to you." Jacob said his hand caressing my still dirty face.

"I am broken, what's wrong with me?" I asked in a whisper after my third try. Lucky everyone had super human hearing except for me. "You are human now." Carlisle said softly. I looked up at him in disbelief. Edward's words flooded back to me. "Your just human now that's all." I shook my head. "Impossible." I said again in a small voice. I tried to push myself out of the water and found it to be of no use. I tried again this time losing my grip on the tub and slipping back beneath the water. Jacob hauled me up again but this time out of the water. Smart boy.

"Is it really that horrible to you?" he asked in a small voice that matched my current one. He pushed the dirty hair out of my face and cradled my face in his big hand. I didn't know what to say. There was to much going on, physically and mentally. "Jacob don't." Edward said his voice low as if warning him. "Shut up Edward." Was all he responded three little words, three little dangerous words. "I need…" I trailed off. I really did need things, food, cleanliness, real clothes, water, oh and to stop a fight. "I am sorry Vander." Edward said looking down genuinely sorry. He must have been getting a strong read off of me.

"Right, well everyone out." Esme said clasping her hands. "No why?" Jacob asked looking worried. "Well I sent Jasper to get her some food, so we can't feed her until he gets back. Right now I think getting her cleaned up would be the best thing for our Vander." she explained pulling the stopper out of the tub allowing the soiled water to run out around my ankles. Typical Esme, my world was falling apart and she wanted to make sure I was clean.

"Esme, I have seen her naked and she shouldn't be alone." Jacob offered. Carlisle and Emmett left the bathroom wordlessly. "You're right, she shouldn't be alone. Well feel free to stay, you know almost being mouth raped by her own brother I am sure what she wants right now is you pawing at her." Edward shot emphasis pawing. Jacob's fist tightened at the accusation and Edward stood his ground. "I. Would. Ne…" "Right now she needs her mother Jake." Bella piped up. She, Rose, and Alice stood in the doorway, their faces beautiful even in concern. My hands flew to my face. I was no longer that beautiful, it was sad, vain but sad. Tears began to well up in my eyes despite my best efforts to blink them away.

Edward sighed and knelt close to me Jacob's body tensed around me. "Listen and listen well Vander Cullen. You will always be beautiful. No matter what." His thin hands fluttered around my face. They settled on the my cheeks catching the tears that had now overwhelmed my eyes. I nodded and he was gone. Jacob eased and kissed my cheek softly. "I'll be right outside the whole time." He set me down carefully on the tub before standing. "If you ever touch her again…" he murmured to Edward as they left the closing door hiding his threat.

Esme helped me gingerly discard Edward's soaked shirt and the remnants of my panties. She filled te tub once more with steaming water and started to scrub my back softly. She was silent as she worked to get me clean. After cleaning my body she had to drain the tub again and refill it to start on my hair. "Esme?" I looked at her swallowing hard. "Yes?" she asked but her face told me she knew what I was going to say. "Thank you…thank you for being my mother." I said closing my eyes letting my head fall back losing myself in the sensation of scrubbing my hair.

After I was clean and wrapped in an oversized fluffy towel Esme led me along with a precession to my room. Once I was through the door she closed it shutting the others out. Esme started to untangle my hair with a comb as it fought to form curls. Once she was through she went to the closet and removed a lime green tank top with pink written across it and matching draw string pants. I managed to pull them on and sighed. "If anyone makes a comment about me being commando well they are going to get it." I said a half smile forming on my lips. Joking, it was good, a sign that I was going to be ok. "I am sure the boys can refrain from staring to hard. Although you might want to take a pull over just in case." Esme said a hint of playfulness creeping into her voice. I laughed. It felt good to laugh. I grabbed a track jacket hoodie and pulled it on leaving it unzipped.

"There now, better?" Esme asked. I instantly nodded. She rubbed my arms and smiled before stepping behind my and pulling my wet locks into a ponytail. I smiled and turned to face her giving her a hug. "Thank you." I repeated. She shook her head and kissed my forehead. "Nothing to thank me for. You are still a Cullen." For some reason that comforted me. Perhaps because what I was really afraid of was losing my new family underneath all of the superficial stuff.

A soft knock on the door sounded before Alice poked her head in. "Jasper is back." As if on cue my stomach screamed out for food. "I hope he brought a coke." I grinned.

Ravenous didn't even begin to cover it. I looked in the bottom of the Outback bag in search for more. I looked up disappointed and saw seven very shocked faces and two concerned ones. I had ignored Carlisle's and Esme's pleas to slow my food intake. "Holy shit I have never seen anyone scarf food down like it was air before." Emmett said sounding amazed. "I have seen kills that were less gruesome then that." Jasper nodded. "You are totally getting fat." Alice said acting as if she had seen it. The other four just stared in amazement. "What? It has been awhile for me ok?" I defended but also laughed. I am sure it had been gross, I couldn't remember using a fork while I had consumed the food meant for both Jacob and myself.

I placed my hand on my stomach, now that I had paused my belly was beginning to fill full. "Is there seconds?" I joked. Emmett laughed and shook his head. "Try fifths is more like it fatso." Edward said. I laughed tossing my head back. "Right so Jacob four steak dinners all the trimmings that is eighty plus a twenty dollar deliver fee brings your total to one hundred dollars." Jasper laughed. "Ouch, not such a cheep date after all." Jacob said laughing. "Ha ha, glad to see my little fest put everyone in such a great mood." I said sarcastically. "Laughing, sarcastic, and fierce. Vander is back." Rose smiled. "Oh for heaven's sake someone cut this girl off from America's Next Top Model" Alice laughed.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Well, these are good signs, but I think you need some rest Vander." I opened my mouth to protest but was cut off. "doctor's orders." He smiled and I rolled my eyes. Truthfully sleep seemed like a good idea to me right that moment. Jacob tensed across the table and I made a face. "Before you get sad eyes Vander I think it would be alright if Jacob stayed. His warmth will be good for you." Carlisle said. I smiled and Jacob relaxed. "Alright well doctors orders and all I guess I am off to sleep." I stood up a little wobbly but used the table to find my balance.

Jacob was at my side steadying me as I left the table. I said goodnight to everyone and went upstairs sandwiched between Jacob and Carlisle with Esme bringing up the rear. Once in my room I took down my hair and removed the hoodie. I climbed into bed and Jacob followed me taking off his shirt and jeans to be in long boxers. I looked to Carlisle for a disapproving face but found none. I climbed into bed and laid down. Carlisle took my pulse and did a few other things. "Now if you need anything just remember that I will be here most of the night though I am on call. If I am gone Esme is good enough to care for you." He instructed. I nodded and watched Jacob crawl into bed with me. Esme tucked me in and kissed my temple. "Sleep well." She told me before she and Carlisle left the room. Jacob got up and turned off the lights and crawled back in bed and wrapped his arms around me. I took a deep breath and found his scent. It was just as strong this close to his warm comfortable body. "Is it really that horrible to you?" He asked repeating his earlier question. "It is just new to me again being like this. But this, this is right Jake." He sighed contently pulling me in even closer. "Jacob I love you." I said softly my voice low with sleep. "I love you too."

Hot sticky blood poured down my throat feeding my insatiable hunger. Not animal blood but human blood. Panic spread through my body as I tried to fight it. I knew what it would do, it would render me mortal again. A fate worse then death.

"Vander wake up, it was just a dream." Jacob said softly jostling me from my nightmare. My eyelids popped open and Jacob's face filled my view. "Sorry…" I said quietly. He shook his head and pecked my lips quickly. "It is understandable. You had a rough night. I am here that is all that matters you are safe with me." He pulled me close as he could into his strong warm body. He took in deep breaths nuzzling into my hair.

He sighed after a few seconds as if he had drank in all of my scent and was feeling sated by the sensation. "I should go." He said in a sad voice. "Why Jake I want you here with me." I hugged him close to me not wanting him to leave. "I can't stop thinking how good you smell, and the sound of your heart." He closed his eyes and moved his hand over my breast to feel the heart that now beat there. With his touch my heart started to pound. "I am sorry I should go." he said again. I shook my head "It is faster because I like you touching me, not because I am angry Jake." He gave a gentle squeeze and grinned at me. "Now that is playing dirty." I smiled and leaned in to kiss his jaw line. "A win is a win right?" he responded opening his neck to give me more purchase.

"Hey keep it down in there some of us are trying not to get sick out here." Jasper said pounding on the wall that our rooms shared. I laughed and shook my head and Jacob growled playfully. "I should go back to sleep before they sic Carlisle on us." I let my hand caress the smooth skin of his face. "Just hold me Jake, at least till I fall asleep again." "I'll hold on to you forever." He said softly. He shifted so he was on his back versus his side. As if on cue I entangled our legs and used his warm chest as a pillow laying one of my arms across the chest the other to fall into a comfortable position. His arms held me close one trailing up my spine lost in my curls the other protectively across my waist. I couldn't remember being this comfortable ever, it was if Jacob Black was a puzzle piece made to fit with me.


	18. Heart Break

My eyes threatened to creep open as I felt my body being moved . My arms went tighter around the blazing form. "No stay in the bed… you just got back a couple hours ago." I purred into Jacob's ear. "Mmm Vander don't tempt me. I have school." Jacob answered kissing me gently. "But the bed is so cold and empty when you are gone." "It is school, I have to show up." He answered. "No you don't you're a senior they expect you to skip." I whined. "Maybe at a white school but on the rez we have to be better." "Come on Jacob you are a good student one day?" I asked kissing his neck.

"I have only been back at school for a week and we have this conversation everyday." He said but I could feel his body melting to mine. I nipped his neck and received a pleased gasp from him. "Well if you really want to get out of the nice warm bed with your frisky girlfriend then I guess you should go." I said resolutely. Jacob shook his head and moved from underneath me to be on top of me.

There was a banging on the wall and Jasper yelled. "Hey keep it down in there some of us are trying not to get sick out here!" Jacob collapsed on top of me and kissed my cheek in his fits of laughter. "Ok ok go to school." I smiled but tried to sound as serious as possible. "Mind if I grab a shower?" I shook my head as he rose off of me. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him leave the bed.

The last two months of summer had slid away from me. They were lost between sweet dates with Jacob and fights over my mortality that ended up in make up sex at his house. I was shuffling between houses and still human, a witch but humanish. Now Jacob was back at school and I was feeling restless.

At first being human was like a dangerous binge for me. I went out and drank to much, apparently with my lean frame and low tolerance two was to much. I ate to much to often and then burned it off with cliff diving, higher then even the pack would dare to go. Drive my new car to fast even after my little accident. Then monotony set in. I spent my days making potions for my family so they wouldn't crave human blood and would appear older. After that I would shop with Alice and Rose or watch the boys wrestle. It was fun but not as fun as when I could wrestle.

For such a hotbed Forks was quite as death itself.

I made a face hearing Jacob get ready for school. I pushed myself out of bed completely and pulled my silken robe over my pajamas and left the room. It was hard enough seeing Jacob flee from bed but leaving completely was to much to bear. I padded from my room and into the open waiting door of Jasper and Alice's room.

"Why is it that you only ever stop Jacob and I from making hot passionate love?" I asked settling into the bed beside Jasper poking his ribs. "Well they are sleeping with mutts." He laughed and pressed play on the movie. They had been waiting for me. "Oh I see, when you and Alice gear up nest time I am going to come in here and blast you with water and tell you to keep it down." I laughed. He shook his head and Alice laughed. "I like it slippery." She wore a devilish grin on her face. "Gross." I grunted. "Shh I haven't seen this one yet." Jasper said. "None of us have." I replied. It was a new release, Juno. "Don't ruin the ending." Jasper and I said in unison. Alice mimed locking her mouth shut.

I tensed hearing my door open and Jacob's footsteps thudding heavily downstairs. "You really hate him leaving don't you?" Alice asked. I nodded and sighed hugging my knees to myself. "I mean it was a normal day for us you know and then I came back and he wasn't there." I swallowed hard tears already overwhelming my eyes. Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder but didn't move to comfort me with his powers.

"That isn't going to happen Jacob can protect himself no matter what." Alice said smiling at me. I nodded and made a face. "I am going to shower and then go run some errands." I pushed myself up and left them to watch the rest of the movie.

I jumped in the shower, I used to be fast thirty minutes from bumming around the house to ready to face the world. Now that I was human again showering alone took an hour. I got out satisfied that I was clean and it only took fifty minutes. I toweled off and began to dry off. I was still beautiful, my hair just needed a little mousse and was ready and some eye liner and I was good, I just seemed to be dirtier these days. I pulled on some jeans and a tee shirt I had barrowed from Alice it was a little to small and showed a pale stripe of flesh between my jeans and the hem but it wasn't anything obscene. I slipped on black flats and was ready. I grabbed my purse and bounded down the stairs.

First on my list was to go check on Billy and make him lunch and a lunch for Jacob that I would drop off at the school and then head to Seattle for a little trip to an herbal store. Making potions almost daily had depleted my stores. I got into my car and backed it out. Then I pulled out on to the road and set off.

Driving was still fun but not as easy when your human. Soon I was through Forks and on my way to La Push. The way to Jacob's house might of well been programmed into my car's memory, the first place I took my Shelby when I had got it was to Jacob's. I parked in front of his house and got out grabbing my purse. I went to the door and swung it open. No one locked doors in La Push, they knew they were safe.

"Morning Billy." I said stepping in. I heard a groan and I dropped my purse. Billy had fallen from his chair and was laying sprawled out in the floor. I rushed to his side. "Billy?" I asked shaking him. His eyes fluttered open and then closed again. "Vander?" he asked his voice strangled in his throat. "I am here Billy." I said smoothing his hair back. "You take care of Jacob for me. He is a good boy and he loves you." I found his wrist his heart was fading fast. "No Billy we aren't ready for you to leave." I said tears streaming down my face. He opened his eyes and caressed my face. "I am just sorry I didn't get to see you two get hitched." "No you will. You will. HELP SOMEBODY SAM HELP ME!" I started to scream.

Sam appeared in the door way. "Vander what.." He stopped and looked at me. "Find a phone, Billy needs help my phone is charging in the car." I said desperately. I contemplated sending a small shock into him, it could help him or it could kill him. I felt his pulse again and then the weak pounding stopped. "Vander!" Sam cried out stopping his search. He had heard it stop. "It's alright I can fix this." I said.

"How? Vand do something." He pleased his eyes looked scared almost as if he was afraid of not having Billy's guidance. "Back up Sam." I told him my hands lighting up. Sam took a step back and I sent a pulse into Billy's body. I checked for a pulse and found none. "No, this is not helping." I screamed in frustration. I sent him another wave nothing. I looked at Sam his eyes wide in horror. With tears in my eyes. I upped my charge and sent another blast into Billy's body. Sam cried out. "His heart the muscles are burned." I could even smell it.

"This is not happening." I said. Sam knelt by me holding my body. "Vander we have to call someone. Will you be ok alone with him." "No we don't I can still fix this. It is the greatest thing a witch can do for another person." I swallowed hard. "Tell Jacob I love him." I said pushing Sam away. "You tell him Vander, what are you doing." I pushed him away and held him at bay with my wind shield. I closed my eyes and sent my magic into Billy's body finding the damage. Then I took his face in my hands and I brought his mouth to mine.

The kiss of life. The greatest gift a witch could give, where they give their life essence to another. I felt Billy's heart start to reknit itself. I felt Sam rush to my side but it was to late my magic was flowing in Billy. I fell away from him onto the floor and there was nothing.

A warmth filled my lips. Salty tears mingled with tongues and kindled the spark that was buried in my chest. The kiss continued then paused. "Don't leave me, you are my everything." The kiss continued and the spark ignited my chest began to pound with life. "Give her some air, Jacob give her some air." Carlisle said. I just laid there listening to my heart beat feeling Jacob's hand holding on to mine.

I felt cool water pressed to my lips and a cool hand ease me throat to coax the water down. Those same hands took my pulse and then a matching ear listening to my slow breathing. "She is stable. Vander can you hear me?" Carlisle asked. I nodded and opened my eyes. Jacob was at my side clutching my hand his face stained with tears. The rest of the pack was there in Billy's small house along with Carlisle. "What happened?" I asked. I didn't even try to sit up. "You kissed Billy and then you died." Sam said patting my free hand. "Billy…" I searched the room and found his empty wheel chair. "He didn't make it?" I asked my voice filling with emotion. "I am sorry Jacob." I said tears falling from my eyes washing down my face.

"Don't cry for me Vander." Billy said stepping from behind Carlisle. He looked more healthy then he had since I met him. "You.." I tried to sit up and failed. "Don't Vander you are still very weak, stable but weak." Carlisle advised his gentle hand forcing me down again. "I did it?" I asked. Billy nodded. "You saved me and made me healthy again." He smiled at me weakly.

"Why?" Jacob spoke his hand squeezing mine. "He is your father I couldn't let him die." I swallowed hard. "Vander what if you hadn't been able to save him I would have lost you both." He looked at me his voice uneven his eyes dancing in fear. "It had to work, I needed it to work." I said quietly. "Please don't be angry. " I said. Jacob brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it. "This is a double edged sword, you gave my father back to me, but you almost took you away from me." Tears dripped on to my hand and I nodded. "I love you Jake." I replied. I didn't know what else to say. How could I tell him that I expected to not wake up, that I had traded my life for his father's. "Never again Vander never again." He said looking at me his jaw set in seriousness.

I simple nodded. "Ok everyone out Vander needs some rest." Carlisle said. Everyone left except Jacob. "I am not leaving Doc." he said Carlisle simple nodded. "Well Vander, I have been reading up on witches. Was it the Kiss of Life?" He asked. I nodded and he lifted his brows but said nothing. "Well I gave him a full physical and he is fit as a fiddle. It is amazing. I wonder when you will stop amazing us around here. Somehow I don't think it will be any time soon. I want you to stay here over night and then in the morning Emmett and Jasper will help me move you." He said holding up a hand to silence my protest. "You are lucky they wanted to come get you tonight." He chuckled.

"Alright." I conceded. "Ok I want you to get some rest and something to eat." He instructed. "If you need to use the restroom then let someone know. I got called from the hospital so I need to go back. Call if anything comes up. Remember the cpr I showed you?" he asked Jacob. He nodded and rose. He extended his hand to Carlisle who took it and gave him a firm shake. Then Carlisle came to me and kissed my forehead. "Be safe Vander, and I will tell Esme not to worry." "Not likely." I snorted giggling. He grinned and shook his head. "No it is not likely." He reapplied his instructions and left.

Jacob kept a hold of my hand but made no move to close the distance between us. "Can I get you anything?" He asked looking into my eyes. I nodded slowly and opened my mouth. "For you to get into bed with me." He shook his head. "No you are to weak right now Vander." He set his mouth in a no funny business line. "You are angry at me aren't you?" I asked in a small voice. He started to shake his head but then nodded.

"Why?" I asked my brow creased with the question. "I thought you loved me." He said in a quite voice. "I do, I tell you all the time, I mean how could you hold me in your arms night after night and doubt? How could you have surrendered your virginity to me when you doubted?" I said getting progressively louder my voice threatening to crack. "You are so damn self sacrificing! You do anything to save others no matter what the cost! We have been together just three months pushing four and I have almost lost you as many times. Do you know what it does to me each time your eyes are closed and I don't know if I will ever see them again?" He screamed dropping my hand to wring his. "It is who I am!" I screamed back in defense. "Really? Vander why? Why can't you just.." I cut him off. "Let your father die? When he was telling me how sorry he was he would never see us marry? Those were his last words Jacob can you begrudge me trying to save that? Or trying to save more girls from dying a death like I died? Jacob can you blame me from wanting to protect my new family I had gained after being so lonely for so long? Can you fault me those things? Can you when you go out on patrol while I wait for you? Not knowing if you will come back?" I screamed my voice going hoarse.

"It isn't the same, it is just normal for me." He defended. "Gilbert was at home, making dinner for me when he was killed!" "I am not Gilbert I can protect myself I am not weak! Besides you are imprinted to me you were meant for me not him!" He looked sick as soon as it was out of his mouth. I narrowed my eyes. "Get out." I said in a soft voice, my body was buzzing dangerously.

"Vand I… I didn't mean it." He stumbled over his words. I shook my head and bit my lip. "Just go Jake, please before I end up hurting you or saying something as unforgivable to you as you just said to me." "Ok Vand, I'll be just outside if you need me." He said heading toward the door. "I could be dying all over again and not call for you right now Jacob Black." I swallowed hard and looked down to avoid the pained look filling his face. "Just the same Vand I'll be here." I heard the door close and let my eyes close. I hadn't meditated since being human again, with sleep now available to me I had let it slip. I was long overdo.


	19. Cow Town

I took a long and deep breath in breaking my breathing pattern and opened my eyes. I looked at the clock on Jacob's vcr and noticed three things. One first the first time in a while I came back to am empty room, two I had been meditating for a little over seven hours and finally three My body was now healed. I pushed myself up and closed my eyes sending a magical tendril out into the house. Someone had pulled a table by the door and Sam, Billy, Jacob, Quill, and Embry were playing poker.

I opened my eyes and surveyed the tiny room around me. For some reason the room that I had felt so comfortable in the past months seemed alien. The room that had doused many love making sessions between Jacob and myself seemed hostile to me. I looked around and spotted my purse, thank goodness for small miracles. I pushed myself off of the bed slowly afraid of making any sound to obvious.

Once I was free of the bed I grabbed my slip on shoes and purse and hugged them close to my body. I slipped silently to the window and slid it open. I stopped and waited for the door to open. When it didn't I moved out of it and slid the window back down. I crouched and let my tendrils slid inside, Sam was getting beers for everyone but other then that there was no change. I slipped my shoes on and slung my purse over my shoulder and retrieved my keys from inside.

I went to my Shelby Mustang and opened the door silently. I put the car in neutral and with a little effort let it roll out of the driveway. Once far enough from the house I closed the door and turned the car on. I put it into drive and was off. I wasn't on the road but five minutes when my phone rang. Jake flashed across the screen. I opened the phone and promptly closed it. With one hand on the will I removed the card and then flung the phone out the window.

I stopped at the first ATM I found and withdrew all of the cash the machine would allow still having plenty if I needed to get more. Then I set out, I didn't know how to get where I wanted to go, but I knew I was going to Kansas City. I needed to be far away right now and there was no better place to loose myself in.

Logically I wasn't running smart. If I was I would have covered my scent somehow. I would be going someplace less obvious. I would protect myself from Alice's sight. None of that mattered, all that mattered was getting back to my little apartment filled with my life with Gilbert.

I parked out front of the apartment and made the old familiar climb up the three stories and slid my key into the deadbolt. The key turned perfectly in the lock and the door swung open. Everything was just as I had left it. I pushed the door closed with my toe and let my purse slid to the ground. I went to a cabinet and removed a large photo album and then flung myself on the bed.

The bed was stiff not at all like my bed at home or at Jacob's. I immediately shook the idea out of my head. I opened the photo album and sighed. I look happy looking over at Gilbert as we swung in swings for children in front of a giant slid shaped like a kangaroo. My fingers lingered over the pictures from the day at the park. Eating ice cream from the ice cream van. Kissing on the swings. Gilbert spinning me on the merry go round. More photos of a blonde and her boyfriend and us in a mixed group having a blast. "I should take Jake there." I shook my head and turned the page.

Gilbert had been a TKE there were picture of us at all the balls. He looked smooth in his tux and I looked beautiful beside him holding his hand. One of the pictures we looked just like Jacob and I did in a picture of us dancing at Bella and Edward's wedding. A double pang of guilt racked my body, for Jacob and for my family. I shook my head and thought about Jacob upcoming homecoming I had promised to attend.

I flipped the pages there were lots from the balls and found some safe pictures. Gilbert and I during different Greek events him decked out as a TKE and me as a Phi Mu. I smiled looking at the images of beer pong and sand volley ball. I wondered if that would be Jacob and I next year at college. I did it again memories of Gilbert infiltrated by thoughts of Jacob. I slammed the album shut and tossed it on the ground. All of Gilbert was being taken over by Jacob. I turned the television on and channel surfed until I found a movie. I punched a couple of pillows and tried to get comfortable but failed. I sighed and turned on the computer that I had left behind. I waited as the computer hummed on but shut down my instant messages instead of letting them open up. I knew a barrage of instant messages awaited me. I surfed on the internet a little and then decided to take a shower. I stood up and made my way to the shower.

Once in the shower I sat down and hugged my knees letting the hot water wash away my tears. I sat there until the water threatened to give out and turned the water off. Despite not having gotten clean I somehow felt better. I got out and brushed out my hair, a chore not having washed it but managed. I went to the closet and found it filled with clothes I forgot I had. I had only packed for a couple of weeks in Washington. I pulled out a long TKE hoodie that hit me mid thigh and slipped it on not bothering with panties or a bra. I made a move to go to the fridge and realized it would have nothing in it even if I had lived there as a human. I suddenly longed for a phone to insert my sim car in but settled for ordering pizza online.

I settled down to wait for the pizza and realized how lonely I really was. Before I knew I was alone and it bothered me but now the emptiness seemed unbearable. But I was too proud to go get a phone for my card or log onto my messengers. I settled back on the bed since the studio had little else in way of furniture and realized the bed was so empty with no brother, sister, or lover to help fill it. I set my eyes on the tv and sighed. I had seen the b scifi movie a million times but there was a little comfort in it.

It was about half way through when there was a knock at the door. I jumped up and ran to the door money in hand. I made a quick exchanged and closed the door. A large pepperoni with pineapple pizza, some hot wings, bread sticks, and a two liter of coke.

I sat down in the floor and dug in. I didn't have any plates or glasses so it was out of containers for me, which is harder then it sounds with a two liter. Once I had my fill I put everything in the fridge and picked up the photo album again and started to flip through the pictures. This time I concentrated on myself. I wondered if I looked as happy with Jacob as I had with Gilbert. The two men looked so similar it was easy to picture Jacob in the situations. He seemed so natural there that I found myself laying on the bed daydreaming about him. This time I didn't let guilt override me. After all if things had been different would I want Gilbert pushing those he loved away for him. I leaned down and kissed an image of him. "Maybe it's time I let you become a nice memory rather then a ghost of what I had." I closed my eyes and found myself falling asleep after a long day driving.

I woke up feeling cold and alone. I rolled out of bed and went to the fridge for breakfast of cold pizza and soda. After eating a slice and a couple of swigs I went to the bathroom for a real shower. I needed to go out today. I showered quickly and changed no make up or mousse. Just me in a pink Phi Mu tank top and some jeans. I put my slip on shoes on and left the apartment making sure it was locked.

I got into my car after descending the stairs two at a time and set out. First stop the cingular store. Then I was going to get some clothes that didn't look as if I just came from a college cookout. I sped down the interstate towards the outdoor shopping mall Zona Rosa. I parked outside the cingular store and went inside. I started looking at the iPhones ignoring the sales person behind me trying to politely to get my attention. I turned and side stepped him and went instead to a small mousy girl and told her I wanted to buy an iPhone.

A few minutes later I inserted the card and the phone came to life informing me my voice mailbox was full. The phone displayed who the message was from and how long it was. There was one from Alice the rest from Jacob. I deleted them all and didn't even check who my text messages were from before deleting them. As if on cue my cell phone rang. The card recognized the number as Jacob's. I answered it on the third ring.

"Hello?" I asked softly. "Vand? Where are you? Alice and them won't tell me they say you need some space. Vand…" I cut him off. "Jake, I am sorry I snuck off like that. I did really need some space." I could hear him getting teary over the phone. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean what I said it was awful." He started to sob. "Jacob stop, please. It was pretty bad yeah the way it came out. The truth is you were right. I was looking at pictures of him and me and all I could think about was you and me. I fell asleep dreaming about you and I couldn't get over how much I missed you." He took a few deep breaths. "You in Kansas City?" I nodded and laughed realizing he couldn't see me. "You're nodding now huh?" he asked. I laughed harder now because Jacob simply knew me. "Yeah I am." as if answering both questions.

I suddenly grew quite and bit my lip. "Jake?" "Yeah Vand?" "I know you have school, but do you think you could take tomorrow off and maybe fly here?" I swallowed hard as I made my way to my car. "Sure Vandy but why?" He asked. "I just I am ready to come home." He started to say something but I cut him off again. "And I am ready for Washington to be my only home. I just need help packing up things here. Please?" There was a pause and Jacob tried to speak but failed and tried again. "Yeah I will have my Dad arrange the absence and I will get a flight as soon as I can. Well if I can afford it." "Don't be silly it will be on me. I really need you." He hated when I did things like that. "Ok well you arrange the flight and let me know." "Sure." "Vander I love you." "I love you too. I will call you back in a second." "Ok talk to you in a few." I hung up and got on the internet on the phone and booked him a flight.

I called him back and he picked up mid way on the first ring. "That was fast." "Yeah, I got an iPhone so it was easy. So your flight is from Seattle to Kansas City at three gets in at seven." "Ok well I will pack for a couple of days. Is there anything you need?" "My clothes, all I have is my college clothes." "Yeah ok, clothes. I have to go and get packing. I will see you soon." "See you soon Jacob, Love you." "Love you too Vandy." I hung up and closed my eyes. If Jacob was bringing me clothes I didn't need to buy more. Though with Jacob there I would need more then a half eaten pizza to feed him. I turned the car on and backed it out. I needed to go shopping for food.

I looked at myself in the mirror and made a face. I had changed into a different tank top a simple black one and I instantly looked more like myself. I ran my fingers through my hair and shrugged, with a limited amount of personal care items this is as good as it was going to get. I left the bathroom and bounded down the stairs three at a time. In a rush much? Me never.

I lived right by the KCI airport, for times when I had to fly out so the drive was a short one. I parked in the underground parking structure and got out of my car and walked to the terminal. I checked the flight boards and Jacob's flight was on time. I checked my phone six fifty five. I checked the boards again and then started off towards gate one twenty.

I had started out at gate thirty five so it was a while before I worked my way through the crowd to one twenty. I had missed most of the people getting off the plane and were now going to baggage claim. Jacob stood out being at least a head taller then all of the other passengers. "JACOB!" I called out and my heart started to swell as he turned to me smiling. I ran to him making quick work of the moving maze of people, when I reached him I jumped and wrapped my legs around Jacob's waist. He spun in a little circle holding on to me with his strong arms. I kissed his neck and spoke softly. "I am sorry I don't know what came over me just then." I looked up at him my head resting on his shoulder.

I made a move to slid down but Jacob simple held me. "No Vander, just stay a little while." He nuzzled into my neck. I made a content sound and realized how much I had missed him. The way his body fit mine, his warmth, his earthy smell, and for the life of me I couldn't understand why I wanted to deprive myself of this.

A few moments later Jacob let me slid down his body. He kissed the top of my head "Missed you Vand." "I missed you to." I replied wrapping my arm around his waist. "Ok lets get the luggage. Are you hungry?" I asked. He smiled and nodded. "When am I not hungry?" "Point taken. So do you want me to cook or go out?" I asked. "Oh we are going out, that place you told me about Longboards for your Cabo beef." He nodded. "How do you even remember that stuff?" I asked. "You remember the things I tell you, and besides I asked what your favorite food was, then you told me. You started talking about the things you missed and when you said kisses we had our first kiss. I'll never forget that." He blushed at me. "Yeah, I guess that was pretty memorable for you, well for us." I started to move but Jacob stayed. "What's up?" I asked. He shook his head and started to move with me to get the bag he had brought.

Once we had it we moved towards the doors to walk to the parking structure. "So how is everyone?" I asked. "Well they are worried about you. Dad was pretty mad at me for chasing you off, well I think they all were." He laughed. "Jake, I just needed to think. I was pretty mad I will admit it. I felt like you were making my love for Gilbert less. The truth is Gilbert died a horrible way, and so did I. But Jake you gave me back life, and you let Gilbert become a happy memory not a painful excuse." I picked up his hand and kissed the back of it. "And truthfully I don't think you could chase me off even if you wanted to." I laughed and he gave me a firm hug. "I never want to be without you Vand. I want you forever." He gave me another firm squeeze as we got to my car. I unlocked the car and allowed Jacob to toss the bag in the back seat.

We got in the car and I turned it on. After ten minutes we were free and heading down the interstate. My hand on the gear shift and the other on the wheel. Jacob put his hand on my thigh the contact comforting me. "Jacob, I need to tell you something." I glanced at him. "Go ahead Vander." He nodded. "What I did to Billy. I wasn't supposed to survive that, I gave my life for his. I think my body was used to being dead and that is why you guys could bring me back. I am sorry Jacob. It was selfish and I should have thought it through more." He gave me a squeeze and sighed. "I knew, I mean didn't know but I had a strong suspicion. I mean Sam phased and screamed in my head that you and dad was dead. I left, got a detention for leaving by the way. When I got there Dad was perfectly healthy, Carlisle was on the way and you weren't breathing. I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you and when Carlisle gave up I almost broke his neck." He spoke softly as if embarrassed but I could hear the emotion in his voice.

"I am glad you didn't let me go. What brought me back was the salty kiss. It started something buried in me and then it ignited my heart. Jacob, your love pulled me back from death." "Not my love Vand our love, you had to wanted to responded back." I nodded. "Yeah, our love." I turned the car into a strip mall and parked in front of a surf themed shop. We got out and went inside. "Oh this is cute." He smiled and looked up and the long board made into a menu.

Jacob stepped forward and smiled. "I would like three Cabo beefs, one peanut chicken, and a Shang-hi pork. Two of the Naked juice the blue machines." "Ok is that to go? The clerk asked. Jacob shook his head. "Ok total comes to twenty seven forty two." He said looking around to see who else the food was for. Jacob surrendered three ten dollars bills and got the change and then took our juices. I lead him to my favorite two person table and sat down.

Jacob sat down and reached across for my hands. I let him take them and caressed the back of his hands with my thumbs. "So I was thinking we could pick some stuff out from the house that we want to take. The computer and tv, maybe the bed. The rest give away. Well not my keepsakes." I shrugged. "Whatever you want." He nodded. I caressed his foot with my own and smiled at him. "Oh my god you are them." A customer said pointing at us. Jacob raised a brow. "In the picture." She motioned to a picture on the wall. Jacob got up and looked at the picture on the wall. "See it is you guys did you get married?" she asked. I looked down and knew what the picture was. The owner had taken a picture of a young couple that were regulars the man on one knee a ring in hand and the girl wearing a stupid Happy Birthday tiara tears in her eyes. Jacob touched the picture and began looking at others, Gilbert and I were in several. Every time we came here we ate there a couple times each visit.

The clerk called our order and Jacob retrieved it shaking his head when the clerk asked if we wanted our picture taken. He sat down and looked at me. "I really do look like him huh?" he asked. I nodded and looked away. "It is ok. I knew we looked similar, I just didn't really see how much until now. I am just happy that you look at me the same way you did at him." I smiled and reached across to rub his arm.

He picked up my hand and kissed it then started to eat. He made a face and paused his chewing. "What you don't like it?" I asked picking up a Cabo beef. "No, this is the best thing ever." He was eating the pork one. "Wait till you get to the Cabo." I smiled. We continued to eat Jacob loving each wrap more then the last. I finished my juice my wrap and tried the peanut chicken one. "Ok I can see why the beef is your favorite, it was amazing." He laughed. "I know, I can't believe you ate four of those." My stomach was full enough on one. "Want to go?" he asked. I nodded and slid the keys to him. "I am to full to drive." He simply nodded and rose. I followed him out and got in the passenger side. Jacob got into the driver side and made himself more comfortable.

Jacob followed directions back to the apartment easily enough and soon we were back at the apartment. I lead the way and Jacob followed behind with the bag. He looked around and raised a brow. "This is…" He lead off. "Shut up, I know it sucks. Why don't you get cleaned up and then we can watch some tv." He nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. I sighed contently something about Jacob being so near made me feel more at home.

I put the photo album away and sat down on the bed and turned the tv on. A few minutes of being caught up in Cheaters Jacob came out of the bathroom nude water streaming down his body. My breath caught in my chest and I shook my head. "That is just plain unfair." I said unable to turn away from him. He padded to me light dancing across the water on his chest. My heart sped and I stood to meet him. I wrapped my arms around him my clothes soaking up the water from his body. "Vander stop, you are about to cross the line where we can't stop." He growled lightly a playful warning dancing across my skin. "You cross that line when you opened the door without a towel Jacob." I said softly in his ear. I separated our bodies enough to peel my wet tank top off while Jacob worked at undoing my jeans.

Within seconds I was naked with Jacob on the bed making out. "Please Jacob." I said filling him against my thigh. He shook his head. "Vander, there is a ring in my bag, I wanted to ask you so many times tonight, but it didn't seem right. Please Vander please my little Vand be my wife?" He asked in a soft voice nuzzling into my neck. I ran my hands up his sides sending a shudder through Jacob's body. I took his face and held it in my hands and bit my lip. I searched his face and found the look from the airport and the restaurant when he was looking at the pictures. "Yes Jacob, yes." I smiled up at him. He sort of did a push up and rolled off the bed. "Where are you going?" I asked. "I want you to wear the ring, I want you to wear it now." He went to the bag and dug through.

Jacob returned to me with a ring a large white pearl set in a white gold band surrounded by small diamonds. "Jacob! This ring is too expensive." I protested. "Alice helped me pick it out, said it screamed you. I agreed but couldn't afford it. She bought it without me knowing it and when we left empty handed she gave it to me." He explained. "Then I owe Alice big time." I grinned and let him slip the ring on my finger. As he did so my phone began to ring in my discarded jeans pocket. "A million billion kisses says that is Alice." I laughed. He pushed me softly on the bed and straddled my body. "Well you are just going to have to call her back." he grinned down at me. I placed my hands on his side and sat up to kiss his chest. "Because I am about to be very busy." I nipped at his chest causing him to grunt and pushed me back down on the bed.


	20. Jaspemsaembry

I rolled over on to my stomach to a surprisingly empty bed. I sighed but kept my eyes closed. I had the best dream ever last night of Jacob and I didn't want it to be over. "Why couldn't he really be here and asked me?" I sighed again and bit my lower lip. I felt the bed sag a little and a warm familiar weight over me. Jacob's lips sprinkled my shoulders with kisses. "I really am here and I really did ask, and you said yes. No take backs." I smiled and looked up at him over my shoulder.

"Morning you." He said kissing my cheek. "Morning. I didn't want to take it back, I was afraid I dreamed it all. How long have you been awake?" I asked. He shrugged and moved so I could sit up. "A couple of hours." I looked over at the floor and found all my albums spread on the floor open. "Been busy?" I asked raising my brow. "A little, I wanted to see pictures of you before. It is strange, you look the same." he replied. "Well yeah I was a vampire for a couple of years, stopped me from getting older." "No, it isn't that. I mean you look happy again. When we first met you were some angel, a goddess, but you were so sad at first. All I wanted was for you to be happy, you would have moments when you were and I loved those. Now you are like this." he motioned to the photo albums on the floor.

I hugged my knees and sighed. "Well I was running from who I was, and who I used to be. I thought I was being punished for being to happy. And I hated what I was, a freak, something that who I used to be would have killed without a look back. Then I met the Cullens and I felt like I belonged somewhere, and then I met you. You just were in my life making me love you. It felt so right, my life felt like for the first time in years that it was working." I paused and ran my fingers through my hair. "I guess that is why when I was changed back I was so upset. Like I might loose it. I am just happy." I leaned towards him and kissed him lightly.

Jacob rubbed my shoulder and pulled me into his arms. "So what do you want to do today?" He asked. "Well I guess get some boxes and start sorting out what is what." "Oh." He kissed my shoulder quickly as if hiding his disappointment. "What?" I asked my brows knitting together. "I just was hoping for a little of the sites you know maybe make a little memories of our own. I am skipping school after all I should at least have some fun." He grinned into my shoulder but the smile in his eyes said enough. "So last night wasn't fun for you?" I asked pretending to be offended. "I didn't say that. But I could have you rock my world at home." He nipped my shoulder. "Ok well we could go to worlds of Fun it is an amusement park." I suggested. "Roller coasters sweet." He grinned. He jumped a little and grinned sheepishly this time.

"Oh here is your phone. Alice has been burning it up all this morning." I rolled my eyes. "Great." I took the offered phone. "Hello?" "You siad yes right? Of course you did, don't you just love that ring? Of course you do. So before you ask of course Rose and I will take care of everything…." I had the feeling she would go on and on if I let her. "Alice stop, I just woke up." I groaned. "Typically I would be sympathetic to your plight Vander I really would but thanks to you we have to put a rush on this." "Oh this ought to be good, go ahead what is it." I asked.

"Well to quote that movie we watched your eggo is prego." Alice giggled but it was sort of uncomfortable. "Ok ha ha joke is over." I replied. Jacob's body tensed and leaned forward to touch me. "I'm not joking, Vand you are going to have a baby in eight months and going to start growing in a couple." Alice siad in all seriousness. "No, no that is not possible. I mean I would know, I would know." I got off the bed and started to pace. "Well that first month you had a period right, and the second month…" "No but I mean my body went through a huge trauma not to troubling missing." Jacob got off the bed and started to look for something. "Jake?" "I need shoes and keys." he said. "Why?" I asked. "to get one of those things you know. Aha." He grabbed his shoes and slipped them on. "Don't pee till I get back."

I brought the phone back to my ear and sighed. "Ok so thanks for scaring my boyfriend, now what did you want to tell me so badly that you had to give some lie that he would hear and rush out?" I asked. "No lie, and he is your fiancé now." I growled and sat back down on the bed. "I can't be, I would know. I am very aware of my body." "Yeah, well you are and you didn't. Do you want to know the sex?" she asked cheerfully. "No absolutely not. I forbid you to look at the sex of a made up baby." "It's not made up." she said flatly. I sighed her tone was a serious one. "Food baby?" I asked. "Nope." "Damn it" I swore. "What?" She asked.

"A baby Alice a baby really really you are asking me what about a baby?" I was up again and pacing. "Come on could it have a better family? The pack and us? We can protect it no matter what. Plus a Doctor as a Grandpa and Edward has a medical degree. Esme and Rose love babies and your baby will be really cool I bet." Alice was getting excited again. "And when it gets old enough to realize that we are all abnormal?" I asked. "It's parents are going to be a witch and werewolf and don't exactly think it will be normal, at the very least one of what you are maybe both… I could." I cut her off. "No, do not check ok. Just one step at a time. Wedding and prenatal care at home with Carlisle. Then we can work out the kinks later." I heard the door close and Jacob came into view. He picked me up one handed with ease and carried me to the bathroom. "Pee." he commanded. "I got to go." I hung up and looked in his hand an EPT box staring me in the face.

I took the box and made Jacob leave. A few moments later I was out of the bathroom. Jacob looked at me hopefully. "It has to sit." I said. I went to the bag Jacob had brought and found some of my clothes and began to dress. Jacob watched me like a hawk and I made a face. "I might not even be, yet." I sighed. He grinned at me his eyes sparkling. "What is that look for?" I asked. "A baby, come on you know what the look is for." He was still grinning. "Did you ever think that it will make your prom date huge?" I asked. "And? I mean you will be the best looking girl there and one hundred percent mine, with my little baby growing inside you. Who could have a better prom?" I shook my head. "Will you go look, I can't." I said shaking my head.

Jacob went into the bathroom. I closed my eyes and waited for some sort of indicator. Jacob whooped for joy and was out of the bathroom, the test in hand. "I peed on that you know?" I asked. "Ok ew gross." He tossed it in the trash then took me in his arms. "We are having a baby!" He kissed my cheeks. "Hey it could not be yours mister." I said nodding my head trying to be serious. "Oh then whose?" he asked grin on his lips. "Jasp..Em..Sa..Embry." I said straining my neck. "Really? Jaspemsaembry, wow that is a mouthful." He laughed and swept me off my feet spinning me in a circle. "Ok so we are having a baby." I laughed. I couldn't help it his joy was contagious.

"Well I need to get the guys here pronto." He said setting me down. "Why?" I asked. "You are not packing a sing le pair of underwear much less moving a television." "Ok… fine." I conceded. "Food you need food." I sighed. "Ok well lets get me some of that pizza." "Can't." he volleyed back. "Why?" I asked. "Well no grease for the baby and I ate it all." "Ok well I can go get food." I said. "No I grabbed something at the store. You eat, I'll make the phone calls." He smiled and kissed me softly his hands on my belly.

"Ok there is fruit and yogurt on the counter." He pointed it out to me. I nodded and wordlessly got the food. A fruit bowl and a cup of vanilla yogurt with a plastic spoon. I start to eat sitting in the floor. Jacob was on his phone talking animatedly. "Yeah, no I can tell my Dad. You guys can you get here? No that is fine. I can start packing now and you guys just push it as hard as you can. No, she could ask Alice. I don't care either would be good for me. Yeah, no ok see you tonight." He hung up. "They are going to run here, and then we can get a uhaul and they can drive it back us in the car." he explained. "that is fine." I said nodding eating a grape. He grinned and started back on his phone. "Guess what Dad? Oh no, she is fine better then fine, we are great. Oh Sam and the fellas are heading up here to help me out. No nothing is wrong. Well Vand isn't able to help. No she isn't hurt, stop assuming the worst. Vand and I are having a baby." I could feel the pride fuming off of him.

I simply continued to eat. My phone was ringing. I picked it up and answered, it was Emily. "Vand?" She asked before I could even say hello. "Yeah Em what's up?" "What's up? Sam just told me the good news. How come you didn't tell me?" she asked. "I just found out." I nodded. "Oh how far are you along?" She asked. "About a month I guess." I replied. "So what are you going to do?" she asked. I could feel a horrified look cross my face. "We are keeping it of course." I said almost indignantly. "No no not that of course your keeping it. It couldn't have a better family then us. I meant are you two going to get married." I laughed a little at my silliness. Of course she and Alice were right, my baby would could have no better family. "Oh well last night Jacob asked me and I said yes." Emily squealed happily, "Thank god I have been waiting for this. So have you set a date?" She was bubbling with joy. "Well Alice and Rose of course are all up in my business. If I had my way we would just get married at the municipal court in Forks." Emily gasped as if the idea was a tragedy. "Vander no!" "Yeah, I got that. Besides, I would never get away with it. Alice would smell me eloping before I even had the thought to do it." I laughed. "Well good. Vander do you think I could get Alice's number from you? I would like to help. Oh hold on I am getting a beep. Hmm number 8130274..." "It's Alice." I laughed. "Ok well then I will call you later." I laughed again. "Ok well later Emily." I hung up the phone.

Jacob sat down behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked. "I feel ok, shocked but ok. Emily is going to work with Alice on the wedding." "That is good. I was going to ask Sam to be my best man. Well I was defiantly going to have Bells, Rose, Alice, and Emily to be brides maids, Esme as my maid of honor. I was thinking of Carlisle to give me away." "That sounds fair." He nodded. "I guess when we get back I am thinking of buying a little place in Forks or having one built." "Why Forks, not the Rez? He asked. "Neutral territory, The Cullens are my family not just the Pack." I nodded my head. "Well I want to live on the Rez, I am thinking the treaty will have to be reworked, because this baby will change everything." He hugged me from behind. "Well good, I know you guys have a natural dislike but I need you to try. " I sighed. "No problem Vand." He stood up picking me up cradled in his arms. He showered me with kisses before placing me on bed.

"I am sorry." I made a face. "Sorry about what?" Jacob asked. "Jake I was gong to take you out today, member roller coasters? You would let me fold underwear I doubt you are going to let me ride the Detonator." He laughed and shook his head. "Trust me this is way better then an amusement park." I shook my head and stretched out. I had just woken up but I was feeling so drained. I yawned a little and Jacob looked at me frowning. "Go to sleep, you had a big morning and last night, well lets just say I am surprised you can walk." He chuckled. "Someone thinks highly of himself." He shrugged. "When you're good you're good." He grinned. I threw a pillow at him which he easily avoided. "Your aim sucks." he laughed. I let a little spark light up my index finger. "You want to try your luck?" "No." he shook his head and crawled to the bed. "Sleep Vand, your body is working for two now, you need to sleep when you feel tired, eat when you feel hungry, drink when you are thirsty." He kissed my nose and I sighed. "Ok but turn the tv on, the noise helps me sleep." Jacob nodded and turned the television on and went back to sorting things out.

"She doesn't look pregnant." a whispered voice said. "Can I touch it?" Quill asked. "No Vand is asleep." Jacob said. "Not anymore." I said sitting up. "Hey there sleepy head, you dozed off." Jacob grinned. "Hey guys." I waved to Jared, Paul, Quill, Embry, and Sam. "Been here long?" I asked. Sam opened his mouth to speak but I wasn't paying attention. A wave of nausea passed over me. I jumped out of bed and raced to the bathroom artfully dodging the boys. Right as I hit the toilet vomit erupted from my body. "She's pregnant alright." Embry laughed.

When I sat back on my hunched I notice Jacob holding my hair back rubbing circles in my back. "Want some water?" he asked. I nodded but he didn't move. Sam came in with a water bottle and handed it to me. "Here you go Vand." I smiled my thanks after wiping my mouth clean of puke. "Not a word." I said after gulping down the water. I looked to see the bathroom filled with the huge bodies of the pack. "Never you are sort of off limits for the next year." Quill laughed. "Good to know." I smirked. "Are you ok to leave the bathroom? There is food." Jacob offered. I nodded and rose with his help. The Pack gave me a wide berth as Jacob helped me to the sandwiches from Subway.

I started to unwrap the foot long with a V on it and looked around. Most of the room was filled with boxes. "Someone has been busy." I commented. "I'll say, I never imagined Jake was actually hitting that on a regular basis." Embry chuckled. I shot him a look. "I thought I was off limits." "You are but someone has got to take up the slack and Jake seems like a good target." He shrugged. "So because Jake gets all of this?" I motioned to my body. "And you're jealous you are going to give him a hard time?" I asked. That made everyone laugh and I started to eat. Jacob sat at my back his arms lightly around my waist.

I finished my own sandwich and started on another one marked with a J. "Vander?" Sam asked his brow raised. "I know I am not that big of an eater but I am starving." I whined. Jacob growled behind my shoulder. "Leave her alone she can eat what she wants, she has my little baby in there." I grinned looking back at him. "Thanks." I took half of the sandwich and offered him the other half. "You eat. I don't need to." I paused the sandwich half to my mouth. "No Jacob you need food too. Plus you have four sandwiches, So you can at least have three and a half." I offered again and he took it this time.

After everyone has eaten I stood up and stretched. "Oh Jake you lucky dog you she is flexible." Embry potshot at Jacob. "Hey, cut it out. That makes me uncomfortable, ok yeah Jake rocks my world and we have mind blowing sex fact, but do we really need to talk about it so freely?" I asked. I could hear the emotion creeping up in my voice. Come to think of it I had been awfully emotional lately. "Hey guys can it alright, Vander should be treated like a lady, she shouldn't have to hear this in her condition." Sam warned.

"Oh really Sam Uley? I am pregnant so now you can't joke around with me anymore. Now you are putting me in some box labeled lady not friend is that it?" I asked. Jacob winced. "I didn't mean it like that, I just… I don't even know what to say." He swallowed hard. Jacob rubbed my arms. "You should sit down." He said. Then I completely lost it. "No, I am tired of you telling me to rest. All I have done is rest! I am pregnant not dying!" I yelled. I stormed out of the apartment in my pajamas grabbing my purse and keys.

Jacob rushed after me. "Where are you going?" he asked. "I don't know to blow of some steam to the gym or something." I sighed. "The gym?" he asked. "Yeah, I don't know." I shrugged. "Don't follow me." I said getting in the car. "Ok Vand." he nodded. As I pulled away he went back inside.

I found myself driving not toward the YMCA but to a park. I wanted to be outside and feel the wind on my face. I parked in the near empty parking lot. It was dark outside no children were out simply some high schoolers there smoking or drinking and playing on the equipment.

I got out and ignored the cat calls and made my way to the swings. I sat down and started to swing myself while I watched the stars appear in the night sky. I barely noticed as the teenagers suddenly left. What I did notice was a man coming to my side.

"Hello." He said sitting in the swing at my right. I said nothing, he gave off a very creepy aura. He screamed vampire. I sighed my body tensing for attack. "Relax Vander Astran I am not here to harm you." "I go by Cullen now, but I am curious as to why you are not sucking from my jugular right about now." I stated. He still made no moved but to gently swing himself. "We are in public for one thing and another I came in peace to you. I wanted to offer you a job." he said. "Job?" I asked. "Yes, as a guard. In Italy. I see you are no longer inclined. A problem easily rectified, I assure you." He smiled at me his eyes red in his face. "I am sure it is, but I am no longer inclined for many reasons. Mister…" "Felix. What reasons are those if I may ask." "Well you clearly feed off of humans, I learned that as a vampire I can not. Second I am engaged to be married, to a wolf. Third I a with child." I said simply but my body was tensed in case he took the news badly.

"I have already said I come to you in peace be at ease. Though next time it might be differently we do not respond kindly to refusal. Your talents are one of a kind." He smiled at me. "I am not the only witch around grab one of them." I suggested. "You are the single most powerful witch there is, the best. That is what we are after." I smiled my face was not a pretty one. "You are right. I am the best. So good in fact that if you come to me again in peace or not I will murder you, and all you bring. Bring only yourself or an army. I care not Felix. You tell that to whoever you are working with." I paused and got out of the swing. "Though before I leave I will give a more grave warning. If you come close to even ruffling the hair on my pack or coven. I will make all of you regardless of evolvement wish that I would grant death." I looked at him over my shoulder my eyes dancing dangerously in my head.

"You mean that don't you? You would try for us all." He said standing as well. I shook my head. "There would be no trying. Only pain and agonizing death. Remember I am the best." I looked ahead and started to walk to my car. When I turned to get into the car he was gone. The only sign he had been there were the two gently swaying swings.


	21. Vander Goes West

I pulled out carefully and decided that I had had enough alone time, you can get attacked that way you know. I also didn't want to lead Felix to my Pack. I searched for my cell phone and realized it was where I had left it on the bed. "Fuck!" I hit the steering wheel hard enough to cause me to swerve. I needed the safety of people but didn't want to endanger the Pack. I drove and sighed, really what else could I do? I had no phone to call for help or to warn. I was screwed.

I pulled into a gas station and parked in front. I went inside and picked out a water bottle and some gum and paid for the items. I scanned the store making sure that no one was in there that posed a threat and my eyes found a pay phone. "Does your pay phone work?" I asked. The clerk made a face as if she didn't understand the question. Of course in the cell phone age that wasn't that uncommon. "The pay phone?" She asked. I nodded and spoke slowly. "Does it work?" She nodded. "Yeah I guess so." "Great, I left my cell at home." I explained. "Oh yeah that is the worse huh. Pay phone good idea." I smiled but when I turned I rolled my eyes.

I went outside and grinned. This was a "new" payphone that let you sue credit cards. I swiped my card and picked up the receiver and dialed Jacob's number from heart. After the start of the third ring I was starting to lose hope, Jacob was a first ring type of guy. "Yeah?" Jacob answered. "Jake?" "Vand? Is that you?" he asked. "Yes, I am on a pay phone I left my phone there." "Ok alright, is everything ok?" "No, a vampire approached me." "Are you hurt?" He asked. "No nothing like that. He wanted me to work for or with him. I don't know. Felix mean anything to you?" "Yeah, he is a Vol something or other." "Volturi" Sam said in the background. "Right Volturi they are like…" "Vampire royalty pretty much keeps things in check. Makes sense why they would want me. God I am a moron." I sighed. "Why what happened?" He asked. "Well I sort of told him no, that I didn't do human blood well couldn't as a vampire, that I was engaged to a wolf and with his child. Oh yeah and I threatened him and all he brought against me and pretty much all of them if any of the people I loved got hurt." Jacob swore. "Well I don't feel comfortable alone…" I sighed and let me voice trail off. "And you don't want to risk us." Jacob said finishing my thought. "Yes, exactly. If anything happened I could never forgive myself." I hurried out and bit my lip. I knew that the whole room could hear me with their sensitive ears. "Vander, come back now. No fighting over it or anything. A single vamp we can take any one of us, but with all of us that are here it is nothing. You are with child and in some wacky world a vampire is supposed to be able to best you. I can't see it happening but come back. I will protect you." I should have anted to argue, but I was feeling venerable. A hostile vampire with my heart and soul was a little to swore a subject. "Alright, as fast as I can. I am about ten minutes away. Need anything?" "No stops, just here and make it five minutes." I grinned. "Jake?" "Yeah?" he asked. "When you get all authoritative it turns me on." I couldn't but help a girlish giggle. "Ok that is it I have to be alpha now." He joked. "Ok I love you. Be there soon." "You had better or I will kill everything with fangs in a hundred mile radius." He cut the phone off and I hung up.

I went to the car and turned it on. I backed up much faster then was safe but knew I would be alright. I pulled onto the road but opted for back roads then main roads. Speeding is a beautiful thing, but not if you get caught and your prints come up a murder vic from a few years ago whose body they never found. Police frown on that.

Four and a half minutes later I was in the parking lot for the apartment. I looked up and saw the blinds of my apartment move a little. They were watching for me. I went in the building and scaled the stairs two at a time. I opened the door to be greeted by a pile of clothes and a russet wolf. I closed the door and Jacob licked my face affectionately. I smiled and scratched behind his ears and kissed his muzzle. I moved from the door and walked into the main area.

Quill was at the window and the others were finishing boxing up things. Pretty much the television and bed were the only unmolested items in the room. "Tomorrow?" I asked. Sam nodded. "Jake mentioned giving stuff away, but I am afraid it will have to wait until when are back home." I nodded. "Embry and Paul will get a moving van in the morning and will pack in everything and set out." I nodded again. "Who goes where?" I asked. "Well there are six of us seven including you. So you and Jake in your car with Embry. The rest of us in the van." He nodded. "Tight squeeze." I noted. Sam nodded. "Well yeah but we have to. Nothing is more important then getting everyone home safely. You made the drive alone and that was a miracle. We will be going a bit slower and driving in shifts. No need to be reckless." I nodded again. "I don't suppose that you scheduled me for any shifts?" I asked. Sam shook his head. "If you get sick again we don't want you to wreck." It irritated me but made sense. I sat down on the bed and made a face.

"Don't make that face, everyone but you will sleep in shifts. The bed is big enough for you and everyone else. One person will man the huge gaping window and another in wolf form the door." "For me, I am guessing that means no shift for me tonight either. Because I can't bring a fight, I am pregnant, or because I am a girl?" I asked. Jacob growled lifting his head, as if saying Vander don't. "Honestly, I know you can bring a fight. I saw you kill some people with a raise of your hand. Boy or girl that scares the shit out of me. You are pregnant, in your stomach right now is the future of the Pack. Emily has had two miscarriages. It is important to all of us. Please understand." He said firmly. "You are right. You are right, this baby is important to all of us." I nodded and removed my shoes. "I am going to take a shower." Sam nodded. "No offense Vander but you sort of smell like puke." "Wow, really thanks for that Sam." I said with false enthusiasm.

I went to the bathroom and closed the door. It was going to steam up the bathroom but there were a lot of men in that small apartment. I undressed and left my clothes on the floor and turned on the water. I stepped in the shower and let the water rush over my skin. I started to wash my hair out in a slowly lather massaging my scalp. I rinsed it out and set to condition my hair. The conditioner was old so it would have to sit. I started to wash my body starting with my face and going from there. A hour later I was satisfied to my clinginess and turned the water off.

I stepped out into the steamy room and toweled off and let the door swing open with a burst of steam. A towel wrapped around my waist. "Jake some clothes please?" I asked. He nodded his wolfen head and went to the open bag. A few seconds later he brought me long pajama pants and a light hoodie. "To keep me warm while you are on watch?" I asked. He nodded his head and dropped the clothes at my feet. I scooped them up and went back into the bathroom. I changed quickly and left the bathroom. "anyone else planning on taking a shower?" I asked. Sam looked at me. "Well if not then we can break down the shower stuff. You know throw the stuff away and pack away the towels and things." I explained. "Smart thinking, anyone else need a shower?" Sam asked. In turn each of the pack shook their head. "Ok I'll break it down." Sam looked at me but nodded.

I went to the bathroom and started to rinse the contents of the bottles down the drain. I discarded them in the trash and then set to folding the few rags and towels that were in the bathroom. When I was done I left the bathroom the stack in my arms and tossed them into a box with some of my old clothes. Embry wass till stationed on the milk crate my computer had been on and Jacob laid in front of the door. Everyone else was squeezing into the king size bed, lucky for everyone I used to thrash and needed a big bed. "Turning in early?" I asked. "Yeah, we are leaving as soon as the moving company opens. We will eat on the road." Sam explained. Quill patted the spot between his own body and Jared's/. "Saved you a spot, nice and toasty." He grinned at me. I shook my head. "I am going to take the spot on an edge, if I get suddenly sick do you want me in the middle of anybody?" The space was suddenly gone.

I got on the edge of the bed and settled on my side facing the television. I changed the channel and met protest. "If you keep watching sports center you will never fall asleep." I pointed out. This made the protest go away. I settled on Adult swim, something we could all enjoy but also fall asleep to.

Two shows later and I was still turning in my small spot and everyone else but Quill and Jacob were asleep. Pretending to sleep, but every time I moved it alerted both of them. "Screw this." I whispered and slipped from the bed. "Ah Vand?" Quill asked. "You guys want me to sleep well I need to sleep by Jacob." I argued in a whisper. He sighed in defeat and nodded. I crawled to where Jacob laid and cuddled up to his warm body. If wolves could frown that would have been Jacob's face. "You know I can't sleep without you. It not just being warm, it your smell and my heart is cold when your not in bed." I said burring my face in his furred chest. I felt sleep was over me almost instantly.

Vaguely I remembered a hushed argument as Jacob held my body to his taking me back to bed. He settled beside me and there was a spike of energy as someone else shifted. I felt our bodies mingle together and that was all it took to steal me away back into sleep.

When I woke there were sunglasses over my eyes. I sat up and looked at Jacob who was smiling down at me. "You are awake?" Embry asked. I nodded and looked up at him. In the rearview mirror I cold see the moving truck. "Good, now Jake can take a shift." He chuckled. "What?" I asked. "Well just that every time Jake put you down you started to wake up. Sort of adorable but really annoying." My stomach started to revolt in my body and I worked to scramble over the seats. "Pull over Embry." Jacob ordered. "I know you want to take a shift but it can wait till we get gas." My body began to wretch and I clasped my mouth shut. "She is getting morning sickness dude pull over." the instant slow and jerk to the side made my body scream out in the need to vomit, only my strong urge to not puke in my classic Shelby mustang kept it down.

With my forehead on the seat Jacob reached over and pulled the door open and grabbed my hair. The second I tasted fresh air I released all the puke my body could produce. Being pregnant makes you sloppy, I didn't notice Sam on the driver's side window until I sat back up slowly with Jacob guiding me. "You ok?" Jacob asked. "Just morning sickness. I would like some water if we have some and I will need food." I said nodding. Instantly a water bottle was offered to me. I spilled some of the water into my mouth and rinsed out the taste of last night's regurgitated dinner from my mouth. I then took a drink and sighed. "Here Carlisle said to give you these." Sam said handing Embry two bottles to pass to me. Prenatal vitamins and folic acid. "For the baby and for the morning sickness." I asked and received a nod. I took two of each and swallowed them down with water.

"Here Vand." Jacob handed me a sack with an orange and a bagel with two cream cheese packs. I nodded and started to unpeel the orange while Jacob and Embry switched places I discarded the orange peels out the window. Orange peels aren't littering you know. I started to slowly eat the orange as Sam left and Jacob pulled back on the road. When that was done I started on the bagel using a pack on each side of the bagel and started to slowly eat it. After I was done with the first half I was done. "I am full you want the other half Jake?" He smiled and shook his head. I broke a small piece off and offered it to Jacob. He took the morsel from my fingers and then started to suck on my index finger. I giggled and Embry gagged. "No wonder you knocked her up." he commented. I laughed and offered him half of the half and started to feed Jacob the rest. I looked back ant Embry who offered the bagel to me. "Not hungry?" I asked. "No I am, I just want you to feed me to." he laughed. I gave him the bird and he laughed again and started to eat.

"So Sam called Carlisle this morning and they talked about the treaty." Jacob said looking over at me quickly before setting his eyes back on the road. "What is the prognosis?" I asked almost afraid of the answer. "Well I explained why you wanted to live in Forks and Sam understands my need to live at La Push. I mean my Dad and just a bunch of things. So the decided that the Cullen vampires could be induced as members of the Pack, honorary members. It will be one big territory, but the rules stand the same, if we attack a human then there will be war and same with them." He nodded. "It will help things you know more bodies to split shifts. It will certainly be interesting." I smiled. "It is for you Vander, we have to get cozy with the leeches for you." Embry said. "Emb, it is for my family, and you are all my family. I used to be a leech and you didn't have a problem with me. You guys have worked together in the past. And name calling won't help things one bit." I said huffily. "She is right you know, the Cullens are her family too and thy take good care of her." Jacob defended. I knew he hated Edward at times, they were to alike about things and to different in other. I think that now that Bella was no longer an issue they would become friends.

I dug my phone out of my purse as it started to sound off, a text from Alice. 'Your wedding present! This is more fun then just the wedding.!' I groaned and started to scroll through the pictures. A nice large kitchen that was already being remodeled. In fact each of the rooms were being remodeled. Three bathrooms, one in the basement, one in the for public use and then one off the master bedroom. "What is it, bad news about the Volturi?" Jacob asked. "Worse, our wedding present." I responded. "What is it?" Embry asked leaning forward. "Know that house across the street for Sam's? It has been for sale since I got here?" I asked. Embry nodded. "That." I said handing him back the phone so he could see. "Holy shit… you guys are going to have the best house on the Rez." "That is Alice for you. She probably called the broker first thing this morning and set it up. I guess it is a good thing." I could sense Jacob's unease at the situation. "Rose and Alice don't sleep so it gives them lots to do, the wedding and the house. Emily is helping with both things so I guess that means they are getting along." I shrugged. Jacob made an unpleasant face. "What is it Jake?" I asked. "Well it just sucks that I can't get you anything. Alice bought your ring, and our house, they are paying for the wedding." he complained. "Jake, be realistic. It is my money too they are using, and right now you don't have the means to do certain things. You know? Alice isn't trying to deball you, she is trying to help us start a family. I mean you did all the work now she is just adding the frills." He sighed and nodded. "I guess." "Besides, she can see the future she is just putting together what you and I would have. She is just helping us out so I don't get stressed out about all this stuff." He sighed again. "Why do you have to make so much sense huh?" he asked. I shrugged and took my phone back from Embry.

I started texting Alice and Rose. They willing filling me in on the details, about the wedding and the house. The next couple of hours will filled with text messages and picture messages. Nothing about the Volturi. I figured that that meant nothing important was happening and that I would simple have to talk about it in length with the family. Finally we stopped at a McDonalds for some lunch. I was grateful, I was tired of fruits and bread. Sometimes a girl just needs a Big Mac.

Jacob had a different idea, chicken nuggets. "I want two nuggets then large fries and a coke." I ordered. The clerk looked at me wide eyed. I was slim and fit, so all the food didn't make sense. "I am pregnant calm down." I said in a huff. He simple punched the food in and took the orders of the rest of the pack. I paid with my card and went to sit at a table. I watched out the window as the cars passed on the highway we had just got off of. We were about half way home. Quill had driven a lot longer then he let on.

The men returned to the table and sat down the trays of food, there was a lot of it. Jacob took two large cups from the stack and went to fill them up and was followed by the five others. They returned with the sodas and I pulled my food to me and started to eat my fries. I started to eat one handed my other hand on Jacob's thigh. I looked at him and a wave of guilt washed over me. Jacob had only recently turned 18 despite looking to be my same age maybe even older. I gave his thigh a squeeze, he was still so young and I was placing a lot of responsibility on him.

He looked over at me and gave me a quick kiss stealing a nugget in the process. He popped it in his mouth and I looked at him with horror. "You would steal food from the mouth of your unborn baby?" I said in a very convincing tone. Jacob knew me well enough to not buy it. He stuck out his tongue with the chewed mass on it. "Here you go." "Aww gross." Sam laughed and the others started heckling us. I started to lean forward my tongue extended as if to scoop it off. The boys feel silent, either they were too grossed out or knew I was bluffing. Then I heard the click of a phone and looked over to see Paul grinning showing the disgusting picture. I started laughing so hard I grabbed my sides. Jacob laughed so hard the chewed nugget fell on to the table causing everyone to start roaring with laughter.

After a few minutes we began to wind down find out food again. "You know what?" I asked sipping my coke. "What is that. ?" Jacob asked. "Our baby is going to have the best family ever." I smiled. "As long as you don't name it Jaspemsaembry." He laughed. "What about Roaliemieah?" I asked. Jacob shook his head. "Ok well I was once obsessed with baby names. Gilbert and.." I shut my mouth and filled it with my straw. "What?" Jacob asked. I shook my head and everyone fell silent. "Where you and he ever pregnant?" Jacob asked point blank. Just what I wanted to avoid. "Yes." I nodded, it was something I never wanted to think about.

"What happened?" he asked. I looked towards the Pack for help but found them all looking away awkwardly. "Don't look at them, look at me what happened? Do you have a baby running around somewhere I should know about? Did you miscarry? Did it die in the attack and you aren't telling me?" He asked angry. "God Jacob! No I was at eight months pregnant. And that wolf Alex he ripped him from my stomach. He could have lived if Alex hadn't crushed him in his hands. His name was Vincent Alihandro." I said in a low voice. "The scar on your stomach…." Jacob asked. I nodded and stood up grabbing my soda and purse. Then I stalked out to the car. I got into the driver's side and realized I didn't have the keys Jacob did. I rested my hands on my belly and took a couple deep breaths tears streaming down my face.

I could have started the car easy enough one little spark but I wasn't thinking straight. All of the sudden lighting struck beside the car and it started to pour. When you are a weather witch sometimes these things happen. I moved over the gear shift to the passenger side and leaned against the passenger door tears still coming. The car door opened and Sam let Quill Climb in back and then got in. He wordlessly started the car and pulled out the van following us.

After a few minutes Sam opened his mouth and closed it again. "Are you doing this?" he asked. In response the rain started to pour harder the lighting illuminating the sky almost non stop. He didn't ask again. "Jake shouldn't have done that." Quill said softly. I looked back at him tears still flowing. "Well no he shouldn't have. I have never repeated that story to anyone. Gilbert, Alex, and I were the only people who knew. It was something I never wanted to revisit, so I had to do it in a Mickey D's with some of my closest friends watching. It's like Gilbert and Vincent had to die because I wasn't meant for them. Why could we have just gotten a divorce or broken the engagement something normal?" I growled in frustration.

Neither of the men spoke. They just left me to fume and cry. After a while the storm died down and I stopped crying. Instantly my phone rang. "Tell Jacob that unless he wants lightning to strike him where he sits he better hang up right now." I told Sam who nodded. Seconds later the phone stopped ringing. "How much longer?" I asked. "Couple of hours." Sam nodded. I sighed. This was going to be a long couple of hours. "Want to talk about it?" Sam asked. "No." I said. "Fair enough." he said flatly.

I finished off my soda and looked out the window. I wasn't really pissed at Jacob anymore, I wasn't really pissed to begin with just completely sad. In fact that moment all I wanted was to be cuddled next to Jacob as he held me and told me it would be alright. That this time it would be different, but with the Volturi on my tail would it really be?


	22. End

Well there you go. A nice cliff hanger ending. I whole heartily believe that Vander and Jacob need more to their story, but I am leaving it up to the fans. Tell me what you think, should I go on with a sequel? If so what things would you like to see happen? Let me know.


End file.
